There Are Some Unique Weapons in Our Arsenal that Are Able to Withstand Any Attack of the Opponent (EXCLUSIVE)

• 01.27.2017, 19:41
•  Armenia,  Interview

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of  the formation of the Armenian Army "Armedia" IAA  talked with the Spokesman of the RA Ministry of Defense, Artsrun Hovhannisyan.

 

 

- January 28,2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the formation of the RA Army. What do you think were the major achievements of these 25 years? And what are your expectations for the coming years?

- The Armenian army is definitely coming from the very hearts of our people. It is the army that for 25 years has been fighting for the security of our people. Over these 25 years there have been numerous difficulties that our people have been able to overcome with honor. Now we have a stable, strong and combat ready army, and this is our main achievement.

During the 25 years we have been able to establish strong ties between the society and the army. Now we start the preparation for military service from school years. And most importantly, every day new projects are being implemented for a smooth return and integration into society after the service. And there are all the necessary conditions for education, self-development of the soldiers so as they pass their two years of service as efficiently as possible. We are constantly trying to introduce new educational programs in the army in order to make life more interesting for the soldiers.

In addition to the above mentioned, we have already introduced a new method that allows to choose the location of service fairly and transparently. In addition to our high quality human resource, RA Armed Forces today have all the modern military equipment. There are some unique weapons in our arsenal that are able to withstand any attack of the opponent.

Despite all this, of course, one should also take into account that there are still shortcomings and omissions. However, on daily basis we are trying to eliminate the gaps, hoping that we will have a more combat ready army, and that there will be almost no shortcoming in the coming years.

 

- Mr. Hovhannisyan, despite the fact that in many countries army is a closed structure, the Armenian army is quite open to the public, and every year new steps are being taken in this direction. How justified is the model of an "open army" and what results does it give?

- You are right, today the RA Armed Forces conduct an open policy, without neglecting, of course, security issues. The so-called model of "open army" is a worldwide accepted model. It is crucial for countries like us, as it provides access to the army for the society. The concept of "Nation-Army", introduced by Vigen Sargsyan is a logical link of the given model. It helps to ensure that the army does not turn into an isolated structure, and that there is a continuous link between it and the society.

The "open army" model is more than justified and effective, as it allows the public to be constantly informed about the current situation in the Army.

 

- According to you, what steps are necessary to be taken in order to increase trust and interest towards army among the society? Are any steps carried out in this direction?

- Today we have a very brave and strong army. RA Armed Forces is a structure which has always enjoyed the trust and support of the society. The April events proved that our nation always stands by the Army.

The newly introduced concept of "Nation-Army" is designed to strengthen public trust and deepen its interest in the Army. It aims to provide a continuous link between the people and the army, thereby ensuring greater transparency of the Armed Forces' activities for the society.

 

- Taking into account your everyday experience with the media, what challenges and advantages will you highlight?

- When working with the media I should regretfully mention that there are almost no specialists of this field. The vast majority of our journalists are engaged in journalism in general. Meanwhile, international experience shows that in order to achieve the desired results there should be journalists, specialized in a particular area. This is the one main problem that I encounter during my job.

However, I can say with joy and great pride that, as a result of our joint efforts, we were able to achieve a growing interest in military journalism, and gradually journalists specialized in this particular field start to appear.

 

- What are your wishes on the 25th anniversary of the Armenian Army?

- The most important thing any soldier dreams about is the peace in our country. And to our army and our heroes I wish strength and prosperity.