Armenia committed to mission of strengthening democracy, says Pashinyan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is committed to contributing to the global mission of strengthening democracy , Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his remarks at the virtual Summit for Democracy hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday, December 10.

"Over the last three years, Armenians have chosen democracy over authoritarianism twice. The first time was in 2018, following the non-violent Velvet Revolution, and the subsequent free and fair snap election. The second time was in 2021, following a devastating war. Armenians went to the polls, again, to ensure that we would not return to the ways of the past. Indeed, democracy is a perpetual work in progress," Pashinyan said in his speech.

"We are committed to the consolidation of democracy in Armenia through strengthening democratic institutions. By embracing transparency and accountability, we are planning governance reforms and the implementation of policies that will build faith both in Armenia and among our partners abroad. By 2026, we aim to achieve continuous improvements in comparative indicators, specifically rising from a score of 50 to 60 in the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicator, and 49 to 60 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index."

Pashinyan also said Armenia considers tackling climate change as fundamental to democratic governance, and are committed to building a low-emission energy sector and a vibrant green economy.

"In our bid to consolidate our democracy, we are facing multiple challenges. The biggest challenge for us comes in the form of military threats to our security. Fighting for democracy at home is yet another challenge. That challenge is compounded when threats arise from beyond our borders. If we are to restore the appeal of democracy throughout the world, we need to join forces to face these challenges together. Armenia is committed to contributing to the global mission of strengthening democracy, and we hope that we are not alone," Pashinyan cloncluded his speech.