Defence minister pays working visit to Artsakh

30 October, 2017 15:57
At the initiative of the Armenian Ministry of Defence and the Yerevan Municipality, around 1600 parents of compulsory military servicemen visited on October 28 their children serving in borderline military units. Armenian Defence Minister Vigen Sargsyan and Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan joined the parents.

Speaking to journalists, Sargsyan said the program was really essential. It is also a good example for other cities: this year, Gyumri and Vanadzor municipalities too expressed their desire to launch a similar initiative. According to Mayor Margaryan, this is an important program aimed at strengthening the bonds between the army and the society and it will be of continuous nature. He said that everything will be done for the soldiers to be sure that both they and their parents are always in the spotlight of the government and the community.

Solemn ceremonies were organized at all the military units on this occasion.

Since 2013, more than 9,000 parents have had the opportunity to visit their sons and get to know the conditions of their service.

During the visit, Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan received the Armenian Defence minister and the mayor of Yerevan. Artsakh Defence Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan also participated in the meeting. A number of issues related to army building and cooperation with the city of Yerevan were discussed. President Sahakyan pointed out that the cooperation of the two Armenian states is one of the most important preconditions for maintaining stability in the region.

During the visit, Minister Sargsyan, accompanied by the Artsakh Defence minister, met with newly commissioned officers at one of the military units. Sargsyan spoke about the conceptual evolutions taking place in the armed forces and defence field, explained some aspects of the “Nation-Army“, “Ditaket” and “I am” programs, as well as the draft “Law on the Status of Military Service and Servicemen“, assuring that all amendments have one final goal: to strengthen our defence capacity, to improve the mechanisms of the adversary and to enhance the legal and social status of servicemen. At the end of the visit, Sargsyan and Margaryan were briefed on the progress of building the Freedom Fighters’ Park, built in Stepanakert under cooperation program between Yerevan and Stepanakert. Sargsyan said that the recreation zone will become one of the best symbols of effective cooperation between the two Armenian capitals.