“HAY ZINVOR” (ARMENIAN SOLDIER) – ARMY’S CHRONOLOGIST AND IDEOLOGIST

Interview with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan on the occasion of the newspaper’s 1000th issue

– Mr. Minister, «Hay Zinvor» celebrates 20th anniversary of its activity and issues its 1000th issue. How would you assess the newspaper’s passed path?

– «Hay Zinvor» is the biographer of the national army, the most true documentalist on the difficult path of army construction. The newspaper was not only a chronologist for the army but also a participant, always in the thick of events, always near the soldier and officer, near soldier’s parents. «Hay Zinvor» was on the front-line with 18-year old Armenian soldier, «Hay Zinvor» thought of army construction problems with officer, «Hay Zinvor» charted future’s ambitious projects with general. «Hay Zinvor» is the dialogue of the army with people which continues already 20 years. In our information field «Hay Zinvor» distinguished itself with its expressed national image, honest position, morality and patriotism.

I congratulate «Hay Zinvor»’s each employee with newspaper’s 20th anniversary and 1000th issue and wish more journalistic courage, more success. Let success and happiness accompany you and your family.

– It happens that newspaper’s ideas and values sometimes don’t harmonize with society’s values system. In such conditions what is the mission of the newspaper?

– Each newspaper has its ideology and values which sometimes don’t coincide with society’s or society’s some part’s values system. In «Hay Zinvor»’s values system in the first place is patriotism, adoring the nation, ideas to have just and great country, strong and moral society, which undoubtedly are essential for our people. Unfortunately most of our mass media are not aimed at moral-psychological upbringing of young generation. They propagate such values and images which have no any relation with our national values. The mission of our newspaper to be with our soldier who defends our borders, to present true images and values, embolden with high ideas. «Hay Zinvor» must never forget about pernicious occurences and find effective ways to eliminate them. Today our task is to raise brave-man’s image who completed war for liberation of the Homeland with victory, to give hint for moral criteria.

– Sometimes they say that «Hay Zinvor» has not much auditorium and demand, and sometimes it sounds as blame in newspaper’s address. What would you say in this regard?

– I don’t agree that «Hay Zinvor» doesn’t have much auditorium. Only few newspapers have more auditorium than the army. In the regiments they read it with love, many of them wait for it impatiently. Other thing is that today newspapers lag behind because of Internet and television. As you know the Defense Ministry has its TV program «Zinuzh» (Military strength) and radio-program «Aspar» (Shield). «Hay Zinvor» has its site which enlarges newspaper’s auditorium.

– Mr. Minister, to which problems would be given importance in «Hay Zinvor»’s forthcoming activities?

– The newspaper should continue with more effectiveness to fulfill its mission. Be professional, active, more informed about regiments’ life. The newspaper must form Armenian officer’s generalized image – intelligent, glorious, adoring his Homeland. The newspaper must be able to open the depths of the army in front of society.

The first call-up we completed with unique results: call-up plan we fulfilled for 111%. This year we open the first Armenian military academy on the base of Military Institute after V.Sargsyan.

In the forthcoming activities of «Hay Zinvor» I’ll mention 4 main directions: elucidation of Artsakh war, periodically and in detail present life inside army, unprejudiced chronology of army construction, stories about military deeds of liberation-warriors, problems of volunteers- war participants.

I’d like to ask the newspaper to be more active in the Internet.

Once more I’d like to congratulate all of us with 20th jubilee of the official newspaper «Hay Zinvor» and its 1000th issue. Let the army and its newspaper victoriously, with dignity continue their way to the glory of powerful and secure country, protected people and firm state.

Gayaneh Poghosyan