NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE SEYRAN OHANYAN

Dear Armenian people!
Messrs officers, soldiers and warriors-liberators!

Congratulations to all for a Happy New Year, I wish you health, happiness and most importantly – peace that we have defended during this year – in 2014, which was full of dangers and challenges. This past year was filled with not only unprecedented tension on the border, but also achievements in army building. Despite ongoing provocations, a large amount of work has been carried out in the areas of improving combat training and safety of alerting. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of new and more complex combat training tasks, preparation of special units.

Work was continued on the Strategic Defense Review, expansion and deepening of international military cooperation, the acquisition of new military equipment and weapons, upgrade communications systems, improving of engineering equipment at the forefront.

Serious steps have been taken to increase public control over the armed forces, the fight against corruption, reduce accidents, and also patriotic education of the younger generation.

2014 will be remembered also as the year when the Armenian people proved their determination to defend the achievements of the Artsakh war. Despite the attempts of the enemy to move the “war of snipers” in the field of sabotage and even shameful step of shooting the helicopter, performing a training flight, still Armenian army did not succumb to provocations and, in practice, applying the principle of “with small forces – the big tasks,” was able to honorably come out of the situation.

Also, we should be proud of those soldiers and commanders, who in the international ranges helped their comrades who were in the trenches. Let us remember the good results of Armenian troops in international exercises in the “Tank biathlon 2014,” 3.5 dozen medals which got the cadets of the Military-sports Lyceum after Monte Melkonian on the international gathering contest and the achievement of the right to hold similar gatherings in Armenia.

Dear compatriots!

Today, the Armenian army is defending confidently the borders of Armenia and Artsakh, and no longer will allow the recurrence of the terrible past.

On the eve of 2015 I convey the sincere gratitude of all personnel of the Armenian army to our society, because they are united around the armed forces, that they trust and believe in us.

Once again I congratulate all with the upcoming holidays, and may 2015 will be a year of achievements nation-wide, year of implementation of all patriotic ideas and initiatives.

May God bless us!
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!