We meet the 23rd anniversary of the Armenian Army with great achievements in further strengthening country’s defense capacity. Today Armenia has evolving military-industrial complex and year after year is enhancing military technical cooperation with partner countries. Complete system of engineer obstacles and fortifications is being set up in the frontline, serious increase is being achieved in the standards of combat and command training, in the expansion of contract service, in the establishment of professional NCO corps. The principle of conscripting through the lottery system as a mean for ensuring transparency and social justice proves viable. Parallel to steady progress of the professionalism of military institutions’ graduates, the number of international training courses’ alumni is increasingly growing. New programs are being initiated to advance legal base, prevention of law infringements and civil control over human rights matters in the Armed Forces. Large scale initiatives are put in place towards improving the medical service and daily routine conditions for servicemen, hot water supply in the barracks through solar energy, construction of barracks and housing, patriotic upbringing of the youth, and in rooting Armenian national ideology in the Army and combating the malicious street behavior. Serious legal base has been created for the economic development of frontier settlements, efforts to ensure peaceful demining and agricultural works have been continued. Throughout 2014, despite the tensions present at the frontline, many exercises took place characterized by surprise, justified courage and diversity of operational concepts. Special attention is being given to the execution of difficult training and combat tasks, conduct of exercises in combat employment areas, and to the application of new approaches in sniper preparation. We all saw the results during the all-arms combined operational-tactical exercises “MIASNUTYUN-2014” held with NKR Defense Army, which, alas, due to the provocation of the adversary took a dramatic course. In 2014 the principle ‘’Larger tasks with fewer forces’’ was adopted, exemplified by the containing actions taken by Armenian Army during the summer, that kicked the ghost of restarting the hostilities away from the borders of Armenia and Artsakh. Thanks to the application of new methods and means, dozens of reconnaissance-disruptive attempts by the foe were detected and prevented. Examples of Armenian Army’s achievements in the realm of combat training became the results of Armenian units in the joint exercises of CSTO Rapid Response Forces ‘’Collaboration-2014’’ and ‘’Unbreakable brotherhood-2014’’, exercises held by US European Command and NATO “Combined Endeavour” (signal), in the medical area ‘’Watchful Guardian’’ (medical), and ‘’Viking-2014’’ and ‘’Plutonium Eagle’’ (C2). In the international competition ‘’Tank Biathlon-2014’’ Armenian crew took the second place, while in the competition ‘’Unity 2014. Heirs of Victory’’ the students of Military-physical lyceum after Monte Melkonyan won the right to host the next year’s event in Armenia. The soldiers of the engineering corps, while participating for the first time in the competition of CIS member-states Armed Forces’ engineer corps, took the third place, whereas in driving contests of some engineer vehicles they took the first place. 2014 became the year for advancing and enhancing the military cooperation in bilateral and multilateral formats with allied and partner countries, thus enabling to strengthen the security environment. Relevant units continued their participation in numerous events aimed at increasing the interoperability and operational compatibility. The Armed Forces carried on contribution to international stabilization processes in Afghanistan and Kosovo, and furthermore, took part in UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. In order to ensure stable development of the Armed Forces for the years to come, and bring them to conformity with the 21st century requirements, the 2nd iteration of the Strategic Defense Review was initiated; the security environment was assessed, challenges and their neutralization ways were identified, and ideas of ‘’Smart Defense’’ and ‘’Mission Command’’ were introduced into the arsenal of Armenian military art. I can’t overlook the achievements in the sectors of civil-military relations, transparency in the Army, human rights, building integrity and fight against corruption. Of course, the anniversary of the Army is not only an occasion for appraisal of the achievements, but also for focusing on existing shortcomings and failures. We have never had an aversion to presenting the current issues, while being accountable to the public and relying on the public support in solving them. I assure you that while understanding the whole responsibility of ensuring the security of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian public, we shall continue this open and transparent policy,. Dear compatriots, The Armenian Army has never pursued a goal of seizing other’s territory; however it is persistent to determinedly stop any provocation by the adversary. Prove to this are the last year’s events which should have been a lesson to those who wanted to put in danger the fragile peace in the South Caucasus through their warmongering rhetoric. They should be at least blind to be oblivious of the fact that Armenia Army not only clearly performs its tasks, but if necessary can put into force the containing mechanism of employing preventive action that will sober the foe and compel more decent conduct. In those troubled days the provocations and steps to further escalate the situation ceased only when Armenian units flawlessly executed preventive operations. Unfortunately, the opponent remains the same and continues its policy of sending soldiers to senseless death from the outset of 2015 as well. And however irreparable are own losses, the enemy’s provocative steps are met with due counterblows. While thanking all servicemembers for displaying vigilance and courage in those troubled days, at the same time I bow to those heroes that sacrificed their lives for defending the borders of Armenia and Artsakh. Eternal glory to those who with own blood proved that the younger generation of the Armenian Army will continue the inherited customs , should the fatherland be at peril. Thanks to the efforts of the authorities of the Republic of Armenia, today there is no danger of full-scale war in global sense. Yet the tensions will continue because the vengeful opponent will day and night seek weak spot in order to justify before its people another bloody provocation. That is why every one of us should be watchful and vigilant. The adversary is operating in another moral and civil domain, inconceivable to our value system. They understand only one language, and the show of the power of Armenian Army at every outpost is the main pledge for securing the victorious peace. Brothers and Sisters, This year marks the 100 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. A century ago annihilating throngs committed one of most atrocious crimes against the humanity. They were the prototypes of ‘’death brigades’’ created by Hitler’s fascism, who launched new disaster threatening the mankind. This year we will also nationally and with state brilliance celebrate the 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War; a victory that cost dearly also to Armenian people resurrected after the Great Armenian Genocide. This is the year 2015. A century past the Armenian Genocide the misanthrope evil entitled adversary’s ‘’elite units” tries now and then to approach our borders; however every time it is retreating by being crashed. And from now on this is going to be a practice, because there is the Armenian Army which is getting stronger year after year. During the hard summer days, Armenian people proved that regardless of being a volunteer or soldier, journalist, intellectual or political figure, at the moment of danger to the fatherland, we stand together. And here lies our greatness. 23 years ago Armenian Army was created through big sacrifices in order to bring peace to the houses being destroyed in Armenia and Artsakh. To complete its mission, the white pigeon with a collective face of 18-19 years old youth, who was to substitute volunteers, liberated Shushi, marched through the hard way stretching from war paths closing on fir trees of once occupied Martakert, across cedars of Lebanon which gave asylum to remnant of Western Armenians on exodus, in order to support in peacemaking in this biblical soil. This is the road we have passed, one which we will never cede to others; rather we are going to improve it and go towards strong and defended Armenia. This is the greatest respect paid to the memory of thousands of our martyrs. Eternal memory to the servicemembers and martyrs fallen for the fatherland and for army building. Glory and Honor to Armenian people and to Armenian Army. Thank you.