Bagrad Archbishop Responds to Alen Simonian's Statement on 'Paying Taxes'

Only in Armenia among all post-Soviet countries does the church receive no funding from the state. This was stated by Archbishop Bagrad in the courtyard of St. Anna Church, responding to the National Assembly President Alen Simonian's remarks regarding the need to consider incorporating the church into the tax system.

“In all other post-Soviet countries, the state continues to pay certain amounts of money to the church as compensation for all the hardships endured during the Soviet era. The only church that has not received a single dime, by its own choice, is the Armenian church, which has undertaken all its missions, activities, and needs through its so-called own efforts, without attempting to be a burden on the state. These people must be held accountable for compensation,” he stated.

“We have 19th-century churches that have been confiscated and turned into ruins. The property, spiritual cultural values, and churches of the Armenian church should be returned to it in the same condition in which they were confiscated. We pay taxes so that you can receive bonuses,” he added.