Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakian\’s Speech

President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakian delivered a congratulatory speech at the military parade of the NKR Armed Forces on the occasion of Victory Day and the 20th anniversary of the NKR Defense Army and liberation of Shushi.
“Respected generals, officers, soldiers of the Artsakh heroic army,
“Dear veterans of the Great Patriotic and Artsakh Liberation Wars,
“Dear compatriots,
“Respected guests,
“I cordially congratulate you on the Victory Day, 20th anniversary of the Artsakh Republic Defense Army and Liberation of Shushi, a festive that has been sanctified by the blood of our sisters and brothers thus becoming one of the most cherished nationwide holidays.
“On this solemn day I first of all bow my head to the bright memory of our brave sons perished for the motherland’s liberation. Eternal honor and glory to our martyrs!
“9 May is a holiday of victory, the victory of nationwide unity and consolidation, freedom-loving spirit and inflexible will.
“9 May is the victory of our fathers and grandfathers in the Great Patriotic war, when the best sons of the Armenian people hand by hand with other nations fought against violence and evil setting an example of selfless heroism and courage for future generations.
“9 May is the victory day of all Armenians in the national liberation struggle, when all parts of the Armenian nation became a single whole uniting around the exalted idea of defending Artsakh. Everything was being done for the sake of our sacred mission, for the realization of our age-old aspirations, for the bright future and survivability of the Armenian nation.
“With this sense we liberated Shushi, our ancient fortress, a cultural and spiritual center that had been in captivity for years and which is reviving and getting a new breath of life today.
“With this sense the defense army, the most important guarantor of our nation’s freedom and security, its pride and one of the greatest achievements, was formed. The army was born in the crucible of the war. It accomplished and nowadays continues with credit its sacred mission of the motherland’s defender. It is also due to the Armenian army that peace and stability in the whole region are secured. This undeniable reality cannot be ignored.
“We will continue doing everything to keep the army strong and victorious, with a high level of fighting capacity and strong spirit, ready to realize any task assigned to it.
“Free, independent and developing Artsakh is a great and exclusive value for all Armenians. Due to the support of Mother Armenia, our sisters and brothers from the Diaspora, Artsakh managed to not only recover from the wounds of the war but also embarked on the path of stable development. A nation that protected its native soil with flying colors must have a worthy life. We will spare no efforts to achieve this goal.
“Dear friends,
“Today our sons who were born in the liberated homeland and keep its boundaries firm are proudly standing in the parade ranks. They continue the mission of their hero fathers with dignity preserving thus the memory of all our martyrs.
“Together with those who gained our cherished victory today’s servicemen of the Artsakh army steadily defend the security of their native land and peaceful life of their own people. This has been so for 20 years, so will it be forever.
“Glory to the heroic Armenian people,
“Glory to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,
“Glory to the Defense Army and its brave soldiers,
“Hurrah!”