YEREVAN. – Without the Yerkrapahs (the Nagorno-Karabakh War Veterans), the freedom fighters, and the volunteers, we could not have started the struggle and placed the army’s formation on a normal foundation. Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told this on Friday, to Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter, at capital Yerevan’s Yerablur Military Pantheon, and he congratulated in connection with the Yerkrapah Day.      

“These days we are celebrating the May victories, which have become triple celebrations for us because the inspiration of the great victory achieved in the Great Patriotic War [during World War II], the heroic deeds of our grandfathers and fathers were reflected also on the actions of our generation, and we achieved victory in [the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s City of] Shushi. With this brilliant victory, we also were able to place the foundation for Karabakh’s Defense Army.”          

In Seyran Ohanyan’s words, the meaning behind marking the Yerkrapah Day at Yerablur is: “We glorify our fallen friends [in arms], and it is owing to their shed blood that we are able to live freely. We must never allow any mistakes in our current actions, so that we may finish their task.”