YEREVAN. - Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan and members of Yerkrapah Volunteer Union (YVU) on Sunday visited Yerevan’s Yerablur Pantheon on the occasion of the birthday of military commander and country’s first Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan (PHOTOS).

The high-ranking officials paid tribute to the commander’s memory, laying flowers at his tomb. YVU President Manvel Grigoryan, MP of ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) faction, Seyran Ohanyan, and former governor of Syunik province, Surik Khachatryan, also took part in the event.

Former Defense Minister of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan, who also used to be the county’s premier, would turn 58 on March 5.  In 1990-1992, Sargsyan was the YVU commander.  In 1991, he assumed the office of the first Defense Minister of Armenia. Since June 1999, he was the prime minister of Armenia.

Vazgen Sargsyan was assassinated as a result of the shooting in the National Assembly of Armenia on 27 October 1999.