We Are Building an Entirely New Territorial Defense System from Scratch, Says Pashinyan

YEREVAN — At a ceremonial session marking the 34th anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech in which he addressed, among other issues, the reforms being implemented in the defense sector and underscored their importance in a rapidly changing world.

“When we fail to change in a changing world, we are left behind—and unfortunately, this is something that has happened to us several times throughout our history. We have decided to change that approach,” the Prime Minister said.

Pashinyan described the most important achievement of today’s army as the establishment of a mindset focused on continuously expanding its horizons and a clear understanding of the necessity of doing so. In this context, he emphasized the importance of developing education within the sector, noting that concrete steps are being taken in that direction.

“Today, a sergeant system is being introduced, which will have a transformative impact on the logic of our Armed Forces and the combat readiness of our army. This is a deeply discussed, substantive change that I consider extremely important. We are essentially creating a completely new territorial defense system from scratch, and this, too, is highly significant,” Pashinyan stated.

The Prime Minister also touched upon the “Defender of the Fatherland” program, noting that it provides a strong opportunity for young people to pursue professional orientation in favor of military service. “We have never had such a system before—one that gradually brings young people closer to military service and demonstrates its advantages. Today, many 19-year-old servicemen are taking home 500,000 to 600,000 drams each month and, when not on combat duty, are living at home,” he said.

Within the broader scope of reforms, Pashinyan highlighted the importance of awareness and understanding among those working in the sector. “What are we doing, and why are we doing it? This is the most important question, because, as you all know, systemic resistance is one of the most brutal challenges and is sometimes impossible to overcome. But I want to emphasize that everything happening today is the result of our collective efforts—of all of us. I want us to value this, because it is extremely important and holds great worth,” the Prime Minister concluded.

According to Pashinyan, the next layer is interconnectedness, through which external security must be ensured.

“This means creating a framework of relations with the outside world in which the country becomes such an important part of the global supply-chain economy that its security and stability become important for many others—including neighboring countries and major powers. Conversely, any instability would be perceived as a threat by the region and the international community. The ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project and the TRRIP project stemming from it—once implemented—will allow goods to flow through the territory of the Republic of Armenia from east to west and from north to south. They create such an opportunity for our country, and we rely, and will continue to rely, on this strategic understanding,” Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that this constitutes a security guarantee.