The Church Should Not Interfere in State Affairs, Says Pashinyan

The relationship between the state and the church, taking into account various nuances, is as it should be. This was stated by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, during a meeting with a group of representatives from the Armenian community in Switzerland.

“I believe that the relationship between the state and the church, in the big picture, is as it should be, taking into account various nuances. The state should not interfere in the affairs of the church, and the church should not interfere in the affairs of the state. Since 2018, when the revolution occurred, many have been demanding from me, saying that the Armenian Apostolic Church should have a new Catholicos in Armenia. I have publicly stated that it is not the government's business to decide who the Catholicos should be, because the Catholicos is primarily the Catholicos of All Armenians, so what is my business? In my opinion, the church should be transparent. We have a law in the state that when you sell something, you must provide a cash register receipt, which is the law. But if you are selling candles, why shouldn't you provide a cash register receipt?” Pashinyan said.