Friday, 20 December 2013
PM Congratulates NSS Staff On Professional Holiday
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan participated in a solemn meeting devoted to the Day of National Security Service staff.
Extending his congratulations, the Prime Minister said, “The national security servicemen are known for honesty, great sense of responsibility and high professionalism. You inherited it from the veterans. Today we can say that the NSS staff was able to maintain and develop that high calling. Your work is specific in that it is often invisible to ordinary citizens, moreover, we learn of your heroic deeds decades later, and sometimes these feats go unrevealed at all. In fact, your activities have a significant impact on the course of history.”
The Prime Minister mentioned several prominent representatives of Armenian origin whose glorious traditions are successfully upheld today. The Premier first cited Yakov Davtyan, the founder of the former SU Foreign Intelligence Service, who left an indelible mark in the establishment of USSR national security. The second head of the same service Ruben Katanyan, Hero of the Soviet Union Gevorg Vardanyan and his wife Gohar who are known for their direct participation in “Tehran -43” intelligence operation.
“They played a significant part in the operation as they managed to prevent an organized attempt on the heads of three countries by Hitler. Several decades went by before we learned that Gevorg Vardanyan had been awarded the title of hero. Here we can also mention Haik Hovakimyan - an experienced intelligence officer – who went a long way to ensure that the USSR acquired nuclear weapons earlier than expected, which changed the situation in the world. Such heroes inspired many young people who have decided to devote themselves to this difficult and heroic mission. I wish that these characters were an example for today’s ordinary employees, so that we could continue the tradition,” Tigran Sargsyan stated.
According to the Prime Minister, still insufficient are the funds that the Government allocates to address NSS staff’s social issues. Tigran Sargsyan assured that all the tasks set by President Serzh Sargsyan before the government will be met, and security officers will enjoy better working conditions in 2014.
For prominent contribution in the founding of Armenia’s National Security Service and many years of excellent work, as well as in connection with the holiday, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan presented National Security Service Director, Colonel-General Gorik Hakobyan with a nominal watch.
For significant contribution to National Security Service and outstanding achievements in operative-intelligence activities, as well as in connection with the holiday, several national security servicemen were awarded Prime Minister’s commemorative medals.
