Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan on Thursday said he will never leave “the political trench” defending the Armenian statehood.

"During these three years, we [the Republican Party of Armenia] also had party losses, but we also emerged stronger from it, our ranks crystallized, we have a professional and competitive team today as well and will fight for building a strong state,” he told supporters outside the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction.

He stressed that he will never leave the political “entrenchment”. “I will not leave the political trench; I am not a man who leaves the trenches. In my life, I have proved that I can easily give up my post for the sake of the Armenian people, I can give up a whole power, but you can rest assured that I will never abandon the ‘trench’ that defends the Armenian statehood,” Sargsyan said.

The ex-president noted that the voice of the Republican Party has always been clear and will remain so.

“Our steps will be clear, measured, coordinated, purposeful and honest,” the RPA chairman said.
He thanked the people gathered outside the court building for their support, but asked them not to wait till the end of the court hearing.

"Let's chant together, ‘Long live Armenia!’,” Sargsyan said, with his supporters chanting the slogan several times outside the court.

The gathered citizens also repeatedly chanted, "President!”.