If a person has a serious mental illness... The Primate of Shirak talks about Nikol Pashinyan

“I have said from the very beginning and expressed my surprise that the army, police, and national security bodies have not removed this mentally ill person. It is better late than never; it is quite late for the military’s position, which the police and the National Security Service have yet to join,” said Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, the Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Shirak diocese, in an interview with 'Hraparak,' addressing the Chief of Staff's statement regarding the removal of Nikol Pashinyan. He noted that this statement should have been made back on September 28: “If it had been made on September 28, many things that happened wouldn’t have occurred. The truth is that the police and security should join; we need to save the homeland, not hide behind this or that article of the Constitution or the name of the people. I say if this had happened on September 28, we wouldn’t have faced that bitter defeat.”

- Didn’t we know we were going to face defeat?

- They should have known; we may not have known. But the Chief of Staff and the generals should have known.

- Will this statement accelerate the process of Pashinyan’s removal?

- I think so. It is late, but better late than never.

- Nikol Pashinyan has called his supporters to Republic Square; are there no risks of civil confrontation?

- If a person has a serious mental illness, he can do anything, allow anything; therefore, anything can happen, but God forbid.

- What role does the Church have in this situation, will it stand by the public?

- The Church has expressed its stance earlier and faster than the military.

- Will the clergy possibly come out into the streets?

- The clergy will do everything possible to prevent clashes. We should not assume that hundreds of thousands will gather in the square; I hope very few people will gather, and I hope Nikol Pashinyan will understand that he needs to leave quietly, discreetly.

- The opposition is also inviting to a rally.

- Let them invite; the rally is not prohibited yet. I hope that few people will attend Pashinyan’s gathering.

- Are there no attendees coming from Shirak?

- Well, some announcement has been made in Shirak to come, but I seriously doubt how many people will attend,” the newspaper wrote. Read the full article in today’s issue of the newspaper.