It is the duty of every one of us to respect the Constitution by improving and perfecting it

Armenian President Armen Sargsyan’s address on Constitution Day

Dear compatriots,

Every nation builds its life and statehood based on its system of values. Our people have long believed in two basic values: freedom and justice. All our constitutions adopted at different times were anchored on these notions.

The immutable articles of the current Constitution directly reflect these values.

Article 1. The Republic of Armenia is a sovereign, democratic, social state governed by the rule of law.

Article 2. In the Republic of Armenia, the power belongs to the people.

Article 3. The human being shall be the highest value in the Republic of Armenia.

Besides the above-mentioned principles-regulations, the Constitution is not a static but a dynamic document. It must meet the challenges of the day and be directed to implementing the principles enshrined in the above immutable provisions.

It is the duty of every one of us to respect the Constitution, improving and perfecting it, if necessary.

Each constitution adopted during the history of our statehood marked a new page in the life of our state.

Today we live in difficult times. Parallel to standard solutions, there is a need to take non-standard steps to overcome the current multi-layered and multi-component crisis.

Today, we need to prepare the necessary basis to open a new page in the life of our state. The last three years have made it more obvious that certain provisions of the current Constitution do not provide the best solutions to all the challenges and crises facing our country and society – to respond quickly, fully and in a balanced way.

Therefore, recognizing the vital importance of the Constitution as a complete document for every one of us, and for the whole country, there is a need to improve it, to make it more future-oriented, more in line with our state and national interests, at the same time unconditionally adhering to the principles enshrined in immutable articles.

After all, the Constitution must not only proclaim these basic principles but also have sufficiently effective structures to protect and implement them.

The work to strengthen our statehood must be continuous. And today, we must be more united, disciplined and hardworking, armed with perseverance to overcome difficulties, and with love and optimism for our Homeland.

We must do our utmost to preserve our statehood, redefine our national identity, define our national ideology, and ensure a dignified future for future generations.

Respect for the Mother Law, thus exercising our rights, and at the same time fulfilling our obligations are an inseparable part of these processes.