ArmInfo. RA Defense Minister David Tonoyan, who left his post, made a farewell address today.
In particular, Tonoyan's statement reads: "Dear compatriots, comrades in arms! Having worked for several decades in the Ministry of Defense and the executive branch, today I am leaving the state system.
I am sincerely convinced that all the ideas that were implemented during my tenure as a result of the honest and selfless work of my colleagues, make a modest contribution to the development and improvement of the defense system of our country.
But any summing up of the results of my activities today is inappropriate, because the second Artsakh war unintentionally became these conclusions. Am I satisfied with my work during the war, at the preparatory stage? I think some conceptual directions need to be revised, which I did not manage to do, in this regard I am ready to bear my share of responsibility.
But I assure you that the entire personnel of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces were guided by the principle of responsibility to the Motherland, sparing nothing for the sake of victory, always doing more than their service and labor duty requires, and I want to express my special gratitude and respect to these people. We spent tireless days together, often 24 hours a day, and not only during this war. And I consider it an honor to have the opportunity for many years to be part of this fanatical team that will serve the Motherland for a long time to come. My conviction remains unchanged: the Armenian army is strong and will be even stronger.
It is doubly difficult for me to resign at the moment, because I do not have the habit of choosing an easy and acceptable path in order not to get into a difficult situation, if the question of serving the state and the people is on the scales or not. In the spring of 2018, I was guided by the same principle. The current situation requires detente. And I want my resignation to be seen in this vein. I bow before the memory of our dead friends and their relatives, I want to apologize to people whose hopes were not fully justified. But I do not consider my service to the people over."