I am responding to the initiative of Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to hold a pan-Armenian rally for national unity on August 5 (19:00) in Stepanakert and consider it an unprecedented event. This is what leader of the Free Homeland political party, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) Arayik Harutyunyan, who has announced that he will be running in the 2020 presidential elections in Artsakh, wrote on his Facebook page.

“I believe this step is first and foremost an appreciation of the Pan-National Movement that began in 1988 when all us Armenians were screaming “Unification” to see Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian Diaspora united as one in the future.

Of course, today, our dreams have partially become true because we succeeded in shaping our victory on the battlefield thanks to the active support of Armenia and the Diaspora and got back on our feet, but it is no secret that there have been many attempts to destroy the foundations for our unity through artificial methods and false agendas.

Today, Armenia is in a new stage in its history, and now, more than ever, it is our duty to provide our support to the implementation of the great ideas that the authorities of the Republic of Armenia have adopted and set as the ultimate goal. In this sense, Artsakh can’t be an exception. Our position is clear — we support every Armenian living in Artsakh. Thus, Nikol Pashinyan’s initiative is not only symbolic, but will also serve as a major impulse when the time comes to earmark our pan-national issues and the programs arising from the current imperatives.

The Free Homeland political party welcomes and expresses its unconditional support to this major call of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

I address my 6,000+ partisans and supporters and all citizens of Artsakh and call on them to show active participation in the rally to confirm once again that the bond between Armenia and the Diaspora is unbreakable,” he stated.