Third President Serzh Sargsyan has issued a message on the occasion of the 30th Independence Day anniversary of Armenia. The message reads as follows:

The generation that forged our independence—which I had the honor to be part of—and laid the foundations of the third republic of Armenia, was well aware of its share of responsibility for the nation’s fate before the future generations of the Armenian people. Strong with a powerful spirit and cherishing noble dreams, they did everything to build and protect the sovereign, free and independent Armenian statehood.

Some of the representatives of the generation of independence were martyred for the sake of their homeland, some of them passed away after making a significant contribution to our statehood, while those who survived are being persecuted by the anti-national government currently in office.

The incumbent political regime and their supporters, who proved to be indifferent and irresponsible to the fate of the Armenian people, wasted in a wink those hard-earned assets that had been built up in challenging times through our decades-long struggle; they dealt a heavy blow on the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], which was established following a deadly struggle; they initiated a disgusting campaign against the nation and the Armenian identity, the language, the church, the Armenian history, and the Armenian family; they saw the enemy into our sovereign state and kept persecuting and humiliating the citizens of the Republic of Armenia on a daily basis.

The sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, our national security and survival are undermined; thousands of Armenian heroes perished in the 44-day war due to incompetent management and as a result of shady dealings and arrangements with the enemy. In the meantime, the incumbent authorities are holding a “colorful” celebration with cynical complacency.

Those brave guys who gave their life to the homeland are deemed to be part of the generation of independence. Glory to all Armenians martyrs who fell for the Motherland’s independence!

Loyal to national values and independence, the cream of the Armenian people should not put up with the encroachments perpetrated by Armenia’s external and internal enemies; the generation of independence cannot and should not succumb to the slavish minority. The struggle for the nation is just the same as the fight for one’s own life, and nothing has to be spared to save the statehood.

The venturesome anti-national and immoral authorities are a serious obstacle on the way to preserving and strengthening the Armenian statehood. A challenging but honorific struggle awaits us ahead for the sake of our national dignity, for the sake of safe, free, sovereign and dignified living.

We will still celebrate the Independence Day.