Artur Vanetsyan, the leader of the opposition Homeland Party and With Honor (Pativ Unem) parliamentary faction, congratulated Armenians on Victory Day, the anniversary of the 1992 liberation of Shushi and the formation of the Artsakh Defense Army marked on May 9.

“May 9 is one of the most glorious pages in our history. The day marking the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the liberation of Shushi and the formation of the Artsakh Defense Army stands as a symbol of national pride, turning the impossible into the possible and overcoming difficulties through unity. May 9 is a day of unity, devotion, sacrifice, faith, struggle and victory,” he said in a message.

Vanetsyan paid tribute to all those who lost their lives in the Great Patriotic War, the first Artsakh war, including the battles for Shushi, the April 2016 war and the 44-day war in 2020 as well as throughout the years when “we were in a "no peace, no war" situation.”

At the same time, he stresses the Armenian people are living through tough times now, adding the 2020 war and Armenia’s defeat in it "have changed a lot".

“Today, our beautiful Shushi is in captivity, some parts of Artsakh’s territories are occupied by the enemy, the issue of Artsakh's status is up in the air and the borders of Armenia are threatened. In the current situation, we are offered so-called peace at the price of meeting all the conditions of the enemy, kneeling down before it,” the deputy said.

“It is today, on this symbolic day, that we should declare publicly that the Armenian people who forged the May victories will never kneel down and will stand up, not begging for peace, but imposing peace, a decent peace.

“Happy triple holiday, dear compatriots! The Armenian people will hold out, will break the cycle of defeats and will definitely achieve new victories,” the message says.