Serzh Sargsyan: alone, no one can turn Armenia into a country of dreams

PanARMENIAN.Net - I am ready to contribute all my strength for an atmosphere of confidence to prevail in our society, for us to overcome any polarization, rough confrontation, and discredit, Armenia's President-elect Serzh Sargsyan said in his speech today.



"Alone, no one can turn Armenia into a country of dreams. All structures, various political and non-governmental forces, and civil society need to unite. This is where the President should act as the key actor in uniting the nation, a man who must use all the tools and mechanisms of power available to him in order to promote the best ideas and to preserve, develop, and put to the best use our country's most precious capital, our human resources.



"I shall seek ways of cooperating with all the political forces. My efforts will focus on achieving the nation-wide objectives, strengthening the link between generations, combining the interests of different social groups, ensuring respect for ethnic minorities, and preserving the Armenian identity.



"I shall encourage a change of attitude towards the intelligentsia in our country. It is long time for the state to treat seriously our culture, scientific and educational potential, and every individual engaged in intellectual and creative work.



"I shall make my humble contribution to the strengthening of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which will continue to remain a pillar of the Armenian soul and national identity" Mr Sargsyan said.



He mentioned that the ceremony takes place about a month after painful events, which inflicted wounds that are still fresh.



"These wounds caused pain and bitterness to all of us. Today, I urge to look forward, together to seek and find the path of reconciliation, that of development for the Armenia of future. I am confident that we cannot have real and tangible success, unless we learn lessons from the past. What happened should teach all of us a lesson of vigilance and sobriety, compelling us to work with greater vigor and devotion.



"Unchecked freedom can result in conflict with the public interests and the rights of others. To prevent such conflicts and to reconcile various rights and interests, the state may interfere with the exercise of certain fundamental rights.



"Limitations of fundamental rights, however, cannot be absolute, as they would simply render the fundamental right meaningless. Limitations should not undermine the essence of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.



"For any limitation of rights and freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly, we must strike a fair balance between the public order and respect for the rights and freedoms of others, on the one hand, and the right to peaceful assembly, on the other.



"Over a short period of time, along with dozens of other laws, we should revisit the legislation regulating the right to peaceful assembly with a view to safeguarding everyone's right to peaceful assembly in accordance with European standards and precluding any public event that is either not peaceful or does not pursue a legitimate aim.



"Our people have given me their vote of confidence, and I must implement my program during the next five years. Our people have confided in me to overcome the challenges faced by our country and to meet everyone's expectations. Five years is a rather short period to do all of this, hence it will be a period of everyday hard work. During this time, we shall manage to do what is possible and beyond, to address the development challenges faced by our country. That is why I consider this ceremonial day a working day for me and my political team.



So thank you, and let us get down to work!



Let us get down to work, and forward, Armenia!" the President-elect stated.