79th anniversary of victory in Great Patriotic War celebrated in Armenia

ArmInfo. The top leadership of Armenia visited Victory Park on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

According to the government press service, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan in Victory Park in Yerevan honored the memory of those who fell during the Great Patriotic War by laying wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame. The national anthem of the Republic of Armenia was played.

The official delegation included Deputy Prime Ministers Tigran Khachatryan and Mher Grigoryan, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, and other officials. Among the invited guests are veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

In addition, Pashinyan also sent a message on the occasion of Victory Day. It says, in particular: "Today we celebrate the 79th anniversary of the victory of the allied countries over fascism in the Great Patriotic War during the Second World War.

Thanks to this victory, progressive humanity said to one of the greatest evils that civilization has ever seen: fascism.

The role of the Armenian people, more than half a million of whose representatives made a significant contribution to the Soviet Army, is invaluable in the cause of victory. Of these, 300 thousand died, 107 Armenians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.  Many Armenians also contributed to the victory over fascism on the western fronts of the war, in partisan and underground struggles.

Just recently, a unique ceremony took place in France when the remains of the French underground hero Misak Manouchian and his wife Meline Manouchian were reburied in the Pantheon of France's Greatest Figures. In France, occupied by Nazi Germany, Manushyan and the group he led fought for the liberation of this country, even without French citizenship. He, like the Armenians serving in the Allied armies, fought for the freedom of mankind, and this contribution is recognized and appreciated.

The bearer of the legacy of the children of the Armenian people in the victory over fascism should be the Republic of Armenia, which should increasingly strengthen its place and role in international relations as a responsible member of the international community, contributing to international stability and peace on the basis of legitimacy.

It is for this reason that the government adopted a peace program based on the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Today we honor the memory of our martyrs, who gave their lives not only in the fight against fascism, but also for statehood, independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia. I remain convinced that the most worthy thing to perpetuate their memory will be a free, happy and prosperous Republic of Armenia.  And we are moving towards this goal with difficult but confident steps. Glory to the martyrs and long live the Republic of Armenia."

The second and third presidents of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, also sent their congratulations.

Kocharyan was laconic, only writing: "Congratulations on May 9."

And Sargsyan's message on the occasion of the Victory and Peace holiday says: "We will again celebrate our triple holiday with the tricolor, we will return our victories to all the people, we will restore the glorious past of the Armenian army and the achievements of the national struggle wasted by traitors, if today each of us wins the first turn their own internal indifference, harmful despair and disbelief in the national potential.

We will win again if, first of all, we LOVE our Motherland, we BELIEVE in our strength, we HOPE that in our just struggle against evil, GOD is with us, and he is our support. Almost eight decades ago, our fathers and grandfathers won a victory in the fight against universal evil - fascism, tyranny, xenophobia.

More than three decades ago, my generation forged victory in Artsakh in the fight against Armenophobia, barbarism, and the invasion of Azerbaijan. We defended our Motherland, our hearths, our dignity, our God- given right to live freely and independently. And we won.

The feat of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War and the Artsakh liberation struggle will never be forgotten. I bow to the memory of all the heroes who laid down their lives on the altar of the freedom of the Fatherland. Eternal glory to them!"

Before the 44-day war of 2020, in Armenia May 9 was celebrated as a triple holiday: Victory in the Second World War, the day of the liberation of Shushi and the day of the formation of the Artsakh Defense Army.