We must continue to work to strengthen Armenia’s standing and prestige in the region and in the world, must strive to achieve a greater political weight, said President Serzh Sargsyan.

President of Armenia and leader of the Republican Party addressed the participants of the 13th congress of the party held in Yerevan on Saturday.

He stressed that they need to move forwards every day in accordance with the adopted course.

“We will accelerate our speed regardless of how strong the resistance will be. It is obvious that such resistance exists, when momentary gains are deemed to be more important than our goals. But we will overcome that resistance because we are plenty and we are strong, and it is difficult to come up openly against our truly national goals,” he said.

According to him, elections, parliaments and governments are tools to achieve those goals.

“A greater respect of the foreigners toward Armenia and its citizens is conditioned first of all by us, by our own respect toward our state, our laws and our citizens.

 If we neglect this simple truth, we will achieve nothing, while keeping it in mind and using it, we will reform our country. Moreover, we will do it so quickly that it will cause our own surprise and admiration. We must defeat tumor which overwhelmed our society and which is called corruption. Toward that end both surgical and all other legal measures will be applied,” President stressed.

The President underscored that it is not difficult to see that the mentioned goals, including Armenia’s economic development, are closely interrelated.

“An historic opportunity to create Armenia’s new appearance and image is in our hands, literally in the hands of each of us. And we will do it.

Normal elections are essential but not sufficient for fundamental reforms. I would like to repeat: other objectives, which we pursue as a nation and as a state, are more critical. Political and economic liberties on one hand, discipline and exactingness on the other will provide new opportunities for our comprehensive development. It is our resource,” he added. 

“Nowadays, a full-fledged propaganda war is being waged against Armenia and the Armenians dispersed around the globe. That war becomes particularly vicious when we achieve success in different areas or register developments in the process of the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

We don’t conduct any campaign against any country or a nation but we face waves of hostility. In the contemporary world, only a democratic Armenia can withstand these waves. Against these waves we must bring out Armenia’s new image – the image of a more liberal and thus of a stronger Armenia. How can one admire French democracy, if he/she himself/herself does not have similar goals, if he/she himself/herself does not share same values or does not fight for them?”