Today is the birthday of Vazgen Sargsyan, National Hero of Armenia, former Prime Minister and First Minister of Defense. He would be 63 today.

In Vazgen Sargsyan’s opinion, no economic program, no government, no foreign aid can set the country on its feet if each of us does not feel responsible before it as a master and servant.

“We need a revolution in our souls, in our ideas, otherwise the programs and governments will follow one another, and the cart will not move.”

There should be at least 20-30 high-ranking officials in each country in order to put the state interest above the personal one, to burn in the work, to follow the others.

No program, no matter how brilliant it is, can become a reality if there is no faith, unity to achieve the goal, if each of us does not think that the fate of this country depends on one person, and that person is himself. If he is not sure that we, only we will build our house. And finally, it is better to light a candle than to complain about the darkness forever.

“Let’s help each of us light his own candle, and I am sure that in the near future Armenia will appear in the light,” Vazgen Sarsgyan said during his speech in the National Assembly.

Vazgen Sargsyan was born on March 5, 1959, in the village of Ararat, Ararat region of Armenia. After graduating from the secondary school in his village, he studied at the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture in 1976-1979.

In 1979-83 Vazgen Sargsyan taught in the secondary school of his native village of Ararat.

In 1983-87 he headed the Komsomol organization of the Ararat Cement-Slate Combine.

Vazgen Sargsyan entered active public life as a writer-journalist.

In 1985 he became a member of the Writers’ Union of Armenia.

In 1987-90 he worked for “Garun” magazine as the head of the publicity department.

In 1987 he was awarded the prize of the Communist Union of Armenia for the book “Trial by Bread”.

The Artsakh liberation war significantly conditioned the future fate of Vazgen Sargsyan.

From the very first days of the movement, he was among the freedom fighters as one of the first organizers of the Artsakh liberation struggle.

In 1990-91 he united the Yerkrapah Volunteer Detachments under his command, was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs.

He has made a great contribution to protecting the native land and borders from the encroachments of the enemy, to fighting for the victory of the brave sons of our people on the battlefield.

Vazgen Sargsyan has made great efforts in the state construction of Armenia.

The role of Vazgen Sargsyan in the creation of the national army is undeniable.

One of the main features of his essence and temperament was straightforwardness, a feature that was best manifested during army building.

Under the leadership of Vazgen Sargsyan, the rapprochement of personnel officers and Yerkrapahs was incredibly harmonious. From the beginning, he passed on the state mentality that was emphasized in him to his comrades-in-arms from different strata of the society.

In 1991 Vazgen Sargsyan was appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

In 1992-93 he was an adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia, a representative of the President in the border regions of the republic.

In 1993-95 he held the position of the RA State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Structures.

In 1995-98 he again headed the RA Ministry of Defense.

In 1993, he founded the “Union of Yerkrapah Volunteers” and was elected Chairman of the Union.

In 1995-1999 he was again appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

In 1998, he was awarded the title of Hero of Artsakh and the “Golden Eagle Օrder”.

He entered the political field in 1999, becoming the leader of the “Republican” Party, then the co-chair of the “Unity” Alliance. As a result of the convincing victory of the “Unity” Alliance in the Parliamentary Elections, in June 1999 he became the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. In that short period of time, he showed new high qualities of a talented state figure.

On 27 October, 1999, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan was killed in the sitting hall of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia by a conspiratorial bullet of a criminal, with a tragic death.

In December 1999, he was posthumously awarded the title of “National Hero” of Armenia and the “Order of Motherland”.