ArmInfo.The non-violent velvet revolution that took place in Armenia in April 2018 was a reflection of the hopes of the Armenian people, who rejected many years of corruption and fraud in the country, establishing the rule of law and law.
This was announced yesterday at the Milan International Institute of Political Science - ISPI think tank, said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. "Taking responsibility for the protest marches, I clearly realized that there has never been a more promising and possibly more dangerous time in the history of the third Armenian statehood. I clearly understood that I have no right to be happy in thousands of women, men, youth and the old people who followed me. We started our protest march from the second largest city in Armenia, from Gyumri to the capital of Yerevan. As we approached the capital, responsibility for every step increased at a geometric rate. And we succeeded. The Armenian people turned out to be He was strong when he rallied. Thanks to the velvet revolution, we were able to return power to the people. Our next step was early parliamentary elections. Last December we held parliamentary elections, which our international partners called free, fair, democratic and competitive. These were the first parliamentary elections in our country, the official results of which were not challenged by the Constitutional Court, and the first parliamentary elections, the results of which were unanimously accepted by all politically E forces and society as a whole ", - reminded Nikol Pashinyan.
He insisted that people's expectations were too high. "There is no doubt that democracy achieved an unprecedented victory in Armenia in terms of values and national aspirations. Today, democracy has become part of our identity. However, we recognize that democracy must be strengthened institutionally so that it becomes irreversible. We need to protect democracy from those who want revenge and a return to the past. To this end, we have launched reforms aimed at ensuring the rule of law, accountable governance and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. Today we focus on institutional In this respect, the judiciary is of paramount importance. It is well known that without a truly independent judiciary and public trust in the judiciary it is impossible to achieve full democracy and the rule of law. But this trust must be earned. It has long been destroyed and efforts are required to We are doing this with the help of our international partners. In this context, I would like to emphasize the role of the European Union, which has become Armenia's key partner in institution building and the implementation of our reform program. For this purpose, the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the European Union is of particular importance. It is noteworthy that the Agreement is a tool for generating reforms, and its implementation implies qualitative changes in many areas of our society, "said Nikol Pashinyan. He also emphasized that Italy is one of the historical bridges connecting Armenia with Europe. Today, this bridge plays an important role in expanding cooperation between Armenia and the European Union and in strengthening political, economic and cultural ties. "We greatly appreciate our friendly relations with Italy and intend to make every effort to strengthen them and give them greater significance. Our peoples have established close historical ties at a time when Armenia and the Roman Empire were neighbors, and this is reflected on four ancient maps on the walls Roman Forum: In the first century, Armenia even declared itself a friend and ally of Rome. The close ties between our ancient peoples are based on common values and common Christian traditions, which are the cornerstones of our friendship. It is very important that the relics of the First Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church are stored in the churches of San Gregorio and Naples.One of the most important centers for promoting the revival of Armenian culture in the modern era is St. Lazarus Island in Venice, where the Congregation of the Mechitarists was founded three centuries ago. it still remains one of the main centers of Armenology, played an invaluable role in the enlightenment and cultural development of the Armenian people. This is another pride for Armenians and Italians. These facts can be continued indefinitely. The traditional friendship between our peoples has created a solid foundation for the development of cooperation between our countries. Today we are determined to do everything possible to further deepen our relations>, the head of the Armenian government noted.
He also emphasized the need for trade and economic cooperation, which is an important component in bilateral relations. "Italy is Armenia's second largest trade and economic partner among EU countries. In the first nine months of this year alone, trade between the two countries increased by about 14%. A comprehensive and expanded partnership between Armenia and the EU and Armenia's participation in the Eurasian Economic Union create additional prospects for the development of cooperation between our countries. The Armenian community of Italy is undoubtedly another factor contributing to our partnership. We are grateful to the government of And Aliyah for the care of the Armenian cultural heritage in Italy. Finally, we are grateful for the decision of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy to recognize the Armenian Genocide in April this year.