Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan issued a congratulatory message today on the occasion of the republic’s Independence Day.

In his message, President Sahakyan congratulated citizens of Artsakh for realizing their long held dream, despite numerous hardships, of creating a state in which they are the masters of their destiny.

“By assembling our forces, we defended our national dignity and the future of our people on the battlefield. Today, we are building a democratic state and presenting our stake to become a full fledged member of the international community,” Sahakyan wrote in his statement.