Gevorg Manukyan, a member of the Hayastan faction in Armenia’s National Assembly, sharply criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech at the official ceremony marking the 34th anniversary of the Armenian Armed Forces, calling it “a slap in the face” to the military, according to Pastinfo.
Manukyan claimed the authorities tried to downplay the importance of Army Day by declaring Jan 27 the day of Martyrs who fell for the Homeland.
He noted that this year’s celebrations lacked the traditional official awards ceremony, and that government officials did not attend the commemorative events.
According to Manukyan, the event held at the Ministry of Defense, portrayed as a formal meeting, was in fact “a 30-minute lecture by Pashinyan in front of military personnel.”
He also criticized Pashinyan’s frequent mention of the “D-30” artillery system, arguing that for three decades, the army had forged a legacy of liberation and heroism using that very weapon.
Manukyan stated that although Pashinyan again spoke about changing military uniforms, that promise has gone unfulfilled for years.
Commenting on the most controversial part of the prime minister’s speech, Manukyan accused him of cynicism for attributing the increase in national debt to arms purchases and aid to Artsakh residents.
He said Pashinyan effectively admitted that the October 6, 2022 agreement signed in Prague recognized Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, thereby abandoning Artsakh, leading to Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive.
"The Artsakh Defense Army, volunteers, and the people of Artsakh were left alone against Azerbaijan’s vast military forces—betrayed by Armenia’s leadership," Manukyan said.
In his view, the authorities did everything they could to overshadow Army Day, though he added that overcoming the situation is possible but that’s another topic.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during his visit to the Ministry of Defense on the 34th anniversary of the Armed Forces that international legitimacy was prioritized over the army. He noted that reforms in the Armenian military would have been impossible without it.
