On May 28, Armenia marks First Republic Day. The Armenian independent state was regained thanks to the heroic battles that were fought in May 1918, when the Armenian regular armed forces and volunteers succeeded in achieving a brilliant and unbelievable victory against Turkish troops in Gharakilisa, Bash Aparan and Sardarapat, stopping their invasion.
The victory enabled the Armenian people to restore the independence they had lost about nine centuries ago.
On May 28, 1918, after the collapse of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, the Republic of Armenia was proclaimed by the Armenian National Council, in Tbilisi.
And on June 4, the Batumi Treaty was signed, and the Democratic Republic of Armenia was formed.
But the First Republic of Armenia existed solely until December 2, 1920, when the 11th Red Army entered capital city Yerevan and the republic became soviet.
In 1991, however, the Armenian SSR proclaimed independence, and the parliament established May 28 as a non-working day.
Since 1992, May 28 is formally celebrated in Armenia as Republic Day.
But due to the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant state of emergency in Armenia, vehicles’ and people’s access to the Sardarapat Memorial is prohibited this year on May 28.
