Monday, 26 March 2007
The people of Armenia and the State of Armenia suffered a heavy loss: on March 25, 2007, Republic of Armenia Prime Minister, Chair of the Republican Party of Armenia, outstanding political figure-statesman of Armenia's modern history Andranik Nahapeti Margaryan suddenly died at the age of 56.
The whole life of Andranik Margaryan was an unreservedly dedicated to the cause of reinstatement and strengthening of the Armenian statehood.
Andranik Margaryan was born on June 12, 1951 in the family of teachers.
In 1972, he graduated from the Cybernetics Department of Yerevan's Polytechnic Institute and received a degree of engineer of computing machines.
Between 1972 and 1990, Andranik Margaryan held different supervising positions in a series of computing technology-oriented research institutes. Nevertheless, Andranik Margaryan's true vocation was the political fight for the realization of his vision of a powerful and sovereign Motherland which he had been engaged in since the time he was only a teenager.
In 1968, he became a member of the banned in the soviet era United National Party (UNP), the political foundation of which was the noble idea of Armenia's freedom and independence and the pursuance of the Armenian Cause. In 1973, he was promoted to the membership of UNP political board. In 1974, he was arrested for political activities and condemned to 2 years' imprisonment. Back from prison, Andranik Margaryan continued his underground political activity as one of the forerunners of the heroic fight for Armenia's independence. From the very outset of the Karabakh movement, he became an unreserved devotee of the struggle for liberation of Artsakh by contributing actively to the formation of groups of volunteers, delivery of weapons, armaments and food to Artsakh, participated in military operations. In the meantime, he was chief of the Information Unit of the State Department for Special Programs.
As from 1992, as a member of the party board, Andranik Margaryan played a key role in the constitution of the Republican Party of Armenia.
In 1993, he was elected chairman of RPA's political board and then promoted to RPA presidency in 1997.
Upon assumption to the post of RA Prime Minister in 2000-a crucial to our statehood period-Andranik Margaryan became one of most important political and national figures of the freshly independent Republic of Armenia. Owing to his long political expertise and exceptional personal qualities, he was able to create a team which recorded remarkable economic achievements in a short span of time.
Having borne with honor the burden of heading our country's transiting economy over the past 7 years, Andranik Margaryan managed to keep up with his image of patriotic statesman by promoting political stability, balance of powers and political tolerance in his country. Our country has been free of political turbulences during this very period which is now considered as the best one in the 15-year-long history of our statehood.
It would be impossible to deny Andranik Margaryan's care for the national ideology and culture.
Considering that a strong statehood relied on national values, Andranik Margaryan held in special respect the family traditions of the Armenians and, for this very reason, he will always live in our minds as a humble son, careful father, faithful spouse and a generous grand-father.
The memory of the devoted patriot, outstanding statesman and political figure, principled citizen, intellectual personality, man endowed with exceptional human qualities, generous and careful friend will be alive for ever in the hearts of those who new him.
State Commission
