Church Issues Should Be Resolved Internally, Not Through Government Intervention: Garnik Danielyan

The member of the "Armenia" parliamentary faction does not deny the existence of problems within the church, but considers them to be exclusively internal matters of the church.

During a parliamentary briefing, Garnik Danielyan noted that while he does not deny the presence of issues in the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, they should be resolved within the church, without state intervention.

"I cannot deny that there are issues, but that does not mean that if there are certain questions regarding some clergymen within the church, the authorities should allow interference. That is an internal matter of the church," Danielyan emphasized.

It should be recalled that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposed on June 10 to establish a coordinating council that would take steps toward organizing new elections for the Catholicos. Earlier, the Prime Minister had accused His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and several high-ranking clergymen of violating the vow of celibacy, stating that under such circumstances, Karekin II could not continue in the position of Catholicos.

In response, ecclesiastical circles accused the Prime Minister of starting an anti-church campaign.