YEREVAN.- During the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan thanked everyone who voted for him or for other candidates during the presidential elections.

“I express my thanks to our citizens for their active turnout at the presidential elections. I thank those who once again entrusted me with the task of serving as President of the Republic of Armenia.

I also thank those who cast their votes for other candidates. Thereby they expressed their discontent with the problems existing in the country. By doing so, they sent a clear message to the authorities, demanding more efficient work. Rest assured that all messages are duly received,” he said.

Speaking about the forthcoming five years, he pointed out economic development as a number one priority for Armenia.

“A whole array of problems that Armenia is facing is in this very plane. Let me highlight three main ones: emigration, unemployment, and poverty. The solutions for these problems are to be found on the same field. Efficient economy that is on the rise, this is the formula to our success.

The second priority is in ensuring the rule of law. Equality of everyone before the law is a binding prerequisite both for our economic and political advancement,” he noted.

“The third priority, most directly linked to the one before, the rule of law, is the deepening of democracy. Compare Armenia of five years ago with Armenia of today and you will see the difference. Compare the levels of the freedom of speech, press, and association. Compare the past and present levels of maturity of NGOs and the civil society in general. I promise that we will not be contented with the achievements. Five years from now, we will attain a qualitatively different, far more advanced democracy. I shall not accomplish this alone, we will do it together, dear compatriots.”