‘The church can create a political party and engage in political activities within that framework,’ says Pashinyan

There is nothing more dangerous than the church and the state intertwining with each other. The state should deal with its own affairs, and the church should handle its own. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a meeting with participants of the ‘Prime Minister’s Cup’ team bicycle race for schoolchildren, held yesterday in the area of the Parz Lake in Dilijan.

Pashinyan used the example of paraffin to illustrate the relations with the church. According to him, if paraffin is exempted from customs duties as part of a charitable program, the candles should not be sold; instead, believers should come, take them, and pay whatever they want into a donation box. The second option is that the candles are sold and the appropriate taxes are paid to the state budget, which the state will return to the church.

‘If we exempt paraffin as part of a charitable program, then the candles should not be sold. We say we are ready to do this, but do not sell the candles, just place them there, let the believers come and take them, there should be a donation box, and those who want to pay can pay whatever they like, because it contradicts the law,’ he stated.

The second option, according to Pashinyan, is that the candles are sold and the corresponding taxes are paid to the state budget, which the state will return to the church.

‘But there is also the following circumstance: if the church wants to engage in political activities, Armenia is a democratic country; nothing prevents them from creating a party and engaging in political activities within that framework,’ added Pashinyan. He emphasized that the church cannot be above the state.