Marukyan defends Ararat as emblem of Armenian identity

PanARMENIAN.Net - Edmon Marukyan, leader of the Bright Armenia party, addressed recent debates over the government’s decision to remove Mount Ararat from Armenia’s border entry and exit stamps. Writing on Facebook, he condemned what he called “baseless comparisons” used by ruling party representatives and affiliated experts to justify the move.

“They say, would it be good if Turkey used Mount Aragats on its seals or emblem? If Aragats were a sacred national symbol for the Turkish people, let them use it. I see no issue there. But stop undermining Armenia’s and Armenian identity’s symbols with absurd comparisons and meaningless fears,” Marukyan wrote.

According to a new government decision, effective November 1, 2025, Armenia’s border stamps will no longer bear the image of Mount Ararat. The measure was adopted without prior reporting at a cabinet session. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and Civil Contract board member Arsen Torosyan said the stamps were updated to meet modern border-crossing requirements and align with the ideology of “Real Armenia.”