I Want the Institution and Clergy Not to Be Mixed Up: Arayik Harutyunyan

I have repeatedly heard the assertion that the authority of the church is 5-6 times higher than that of the government, and that the church can play a guiding role in electoral processes. This was stated by Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Harutyunyan noted that in 2021, the entire church, led by the Catholicos, was preaching against the Civil Contract party. However, according to him, the public went and gave the answer to the Catholicos and his followers.

“At that time, the confidence in the church as an institution was no less than in 2024. I want you not to mix the institution and the clergy. I can confidently say that when you conduct a survey regarding the clergy, you will receive an absolutely different picture,” he added.