Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issued the following congratulatory message on Police Day, April 16. Here are excerpts of that message.

Dear employees of the Police of the Republic of Armenia,

Congratulations to all of you on your professional day, the Police Day of the Republic of Armenia.

The Police is the most important institution for the protection and preservation of the rule of law in the country. The extent to which the citizens of the Republic of Armenia see themselves as invested in the country depends on the quality of the work of the police system and the work of each of you.

Each of you communicates with tens, hundreds of people every day. My idea, the task that I set before the Police of the Republic of Armenia, is the following. When citizens see a police officer, they should feel protected. Police officers, with their presence and bearing, should inspire confidence in citizens.

Legislative regulations are also very important. The powers and responsibilities of the police must be clearly defined. The fight against crime cannot take place at the expense of human and civil rights.

The police must be free of corruption, and the police must first and foremost fight to eradicate corruption from within.

This is the agenda that we must implement together in the coming years. The police are on the verge of comprehensive reforms, as a result of which we will have a police force that meets even more effective and modern requirements.

Dear policemen,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for your work in the context of the coronavirus epidemic. Here you are at the forefront of the struggle.

Once again, I would like to heartily congratulate all of you and your family members who immediately feel all the difficulties of working as a police officer.

I wish you all honorable and trouble-free service.