Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has issued a message on the occasion of International Workers’ Day.
Below is the full text of Pashinyan’s statement.
“Dear people, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
Today we mark Labour Day, and I would first like to thank all those in Armenia who work, create results and pay the taxes and duties set by law, whether as business owners, employees or individual entrepreneurs.
In recent years, we have achieved significant success in the field of labour. Since the 2018 popular, non-violent Velvet Revolution, around 280,000 jobs have been created in the Republic of Armenia. After the revolution, Armenia has recorded high economic growth, with indicators exceeding both global averages and those of the Eurasian Economic Union. Compared to 2017, Armenia’s economy has grown by 53.9 percent, and state budget tax revenues have more than doubled. All this is first and foremost due to the citizens who work, create value and pay taxes and duties in Armenia. Today, we celebrate work and the working individual.
I consider it important to emphasise that since 2018, through various support programmes, the government has returned around 1.4 trillion drams to citizens and businesses, as appreciation for work and the working individual. These programmes have also had a significant social impact: extreme poverty in our country is effectively on the verge of elimination, and I am confident that its elimination will soon be officially recorded.
Any work deserves respect. But we must also note that work can deliver results if it is based on education, knowledge, the continuous development and refinement of professional skills, a persistent drive to learn more and to apply and monetise that knowledge. Modern realities also require reskilling, as rapidly developing artificial intelligence will significantly change the labour market. In these conditions, learning, education and development are the only way to secure employment and make work more effective and profitable. This does not in any way diminish the value of existing skills; rather, no one knows everything, and new knowledge, skills and abilities make individuals more competitive.
Through our joint efforts, Armenia has been transformed into a much better country for education, work, leisure and living. The Republic of Armenia is flourishing, and this is thanks to your work. We plan to continue this progress in the coming years, and the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan opens new opportunities for investment, business, economic activity and education.
Once again, I thank you all for your daily work and congratulate you on Labour Day. Long live labour, long live education. Glory to the martyrs, and long live the Republic of Armenia.”
