On the occasion of Army Day, Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan stated with regret that “almost everything has been done over the past eight years to weaken, divide, and break our army, once the region’s most combat-ready and victorious force.”

He expressed hope that the situation can be swiftly reversed.

“The political leadership’s obsession with blaming its own failures on the army has taken a serious toll on our military.

A strong and capable army is the key guarantor of real, lasting, and dignified peace for any nation. We cannot be an exception.

I am confident we will succeed in restoring the army’s strength and spirit, which will ensure lasting stability and peace.

Glory to all those who wear the Armenian army uniform with honor.

Eternal glory to our fallen soldiers who gave their lives for the Homeland,” Kocharyan’s message concluded.