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27.10.2009
Day of Perpetuating the Memory in the National Assembly
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Today is the 10th anniversary of the crime on October 27. In the Park of the National Assembly the opening ceremony of the memorial perpetuating the memory of the state and political figures, who fell victims of the crime in the National Assembly, National Hero of the Republic of Armenia, Karen Demirchyan, National Hero of the Republic of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan, Yuri Bakhshyan, Ruben Miroyan, Mikayel Kotanyan, Armenak Armenakyan, Henrik Abrahamyan and Leonard Petrosyan, was held. President of the Republic Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, Prime Minister Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, members of the Security Council, President of the Constitutional Court, family members of the victims, deputies of the Natioanl Assembly, members of the Government, intellectuals, members of the parliament staff and journalists took part in the opening ceremony.

Opening the ceremony Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan said:

“Honourable Mr. President of the Republic of Armenia,
Your Holiness,
Dear relatives,
Dear ladies and gentlemen!

Ten years have passed from the tragic events, which took place in the National Assembly on October 27, 1999. The crime that shocked the Armenian people took the lives of the state and political figures, who had great contribution in the establishment of independence, statehood and army building of country, national heroes Karen Demirchyan, Vazgen Sargsyan, devotees of the Armenian statehood Yuri Bakhshyan, Ruben Miroyan, Mikayel Kotanyan, Armenak Armenakyan, Henrik Abrahamyan and Leonard Petrosyan.

Today, we appeal in their memory, people, whose contribution is really undeniable in the history of the newly independent Armenia.

The loss is irreversible, and wound is incurable. The past years have not eased the pain and regret of all of us.

This wonderful work made by outstanding painter and sculptor Yervand Kochar, which is erected in the Park of the National Assembly to the victims of October 27, symbolizes the victory of the good towards evil, the road passed by the state and political figures, who have fallen victims of the crime, and which is full of resoluteness, aspiration and devotion of confronting the evil, fulfilling the sacred ideas of the Armenian statehood .

I would like to finish my word with the part of the address of the President of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Serzh Sargsyan to the people: “Armenian people are united in their goals and strong with their sons. Our martyrs’ memory and the future of our generations demand to have a stable and firm statehood, powerful and prosperous country, a motherland, which became the birth of the dreams of the whole Armenians. Today, more than ever our people should stand united; we should have capability of maturing our collective identity to life in the reality of statehood. That is our road to the future.”

“10 years have passed, but nobody has been forgotten, nothing has been forgotten, its evidence is today’s ceremony,” said Rima Demirchyan, widow of Karen Demirchyan, who fell victim of crime in the National Assembly. “This should have been done earlier. If they haven’t done before, then it’s good that at present the leadership of the National Assembly launched to erect the memorial.” As. Mrs. Demirchyan assessed, the memorial is chosen delicately. Though Yervand Kochar has not witnessed that cruel reality, has not dedicated his work to the victims, but it contains sorrow, pain and loss, which not only feel the victims’ family members, but the whole nations. He expressed conviction that the crime committed on October 27 has been unprecedented in the human history by its cruelty. It left an incurable injury not only in our hearts, but it shook the bases of our statehood. “What gives meaning to life, gives meaning also to death, all the victims were people thinking for the state, and their guide has been the people, the idea of serving to the Armenian statehood: that has given meaning to their life, it has also given meaning to death. Let their memory be bright, let the years pass, and this memorial has its contribution in keeping their memory. Dozens of years will pass, here will come new generations of state figures, deputies, and every time on October 27 they will pay their tribute. We shall keep sacred their memory,” Rima Demirchyan ended her word.

Rima Demirchyan and Greta Sargsyan were given honour to open the memorial.

At the end of the ceremony those present laid flowers at the memorial, paying tribute to the memory of the victims of the crime.

In the morning of the same day the President of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan and other representatives of the political Establishment of the Republic of Armenia visited Yerablur. There they paid tribute to the tomb of the National Hero Vazgen Sargsyan, as well as they laid down on the tomb of Andranik Commander and on the memorial perpetuating the memory of the victims of Artsakh freedom fighting.

In the afternoon of October 27 the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan accompanied by the head of the faction of RA NA Republican Party of Armenia Mr. Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of RA NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Mr. Vardan Ayvazyan and other officials visited the National Pantheon. There they laid down flowers on the tomb. In the Pantheon they also laid down flowers on the tomb of late Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan.