Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that the Armenian people have proven their ability to choose their own destiny, highlighting the country’s democratic transition since 2018.

Mirzoyan stressed that instead of externally driven reform, it was the citizens themselves who chose to change the government and lead the democratization process.

“The reform process could have continued indefinitely under outside direction, never reaching a stage where Armenia became a full-fledged democracy, simply because there was no serious governmental resistance to such stagnation. That’s why the people decided to change the government themselves, becoming the driving force behind reform and democratization,” he said, noting that the peaceful, democratic revolution of 2018 marked a turning point in Armenia’s modern history.

“After tasting the bitterness of repeated failures, I walked side by side with hundreds of thousands of my fellow citizens — my brothers and sisters — who filled Armenia’s streets and cities not with weapons but with open hands, believing we deserved more: fair and exemplary elections, the right to form a government with our own votes, open and accountable governance, corruption-free institutions, social justice, taxes spent on schools and roads for the people — not mansions for oligarchs and corrupt officials, business free from bribes and artificial monopolies, and an independent, effective judiciary.”

“We proved that our nation can choose its destiny. Since 2018, Armenia has carried out sweeping reforms,” he stated.

Mirzoyan added that Armenia’s progress has been recognized in reports and resolutions from respected organizations, including Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, and others.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is attending the PACE session in Strasbourg, where his agenda also includes bilateral meetings.