There is No State-Church Conflict, the Issue Lies in the Behavior of Certain Clergy: Arthur Hovhannisyan

The Secretary of the "Civil Contract" faction has stated that there is no conflict between the church and the government, and the issues concern the behavior of certain clergymen.

During a parliamentary briefing, Arthur Hovhannisyan, the Secretary of the "Civil Contract" faction, mentioned that there is no contradiction between the state and the church. He emphasized that the concerns are related to the conduct of certain high-ranking clergymen of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

"There is no government-church or state-church conflict. The problem lies with certain clergymen who have violated their vow to God. We do not have a problem with the church itself, but we do have a problem with those who undermine the values through their behavior," Hovhannisyan stated, referring to Ktrich Nersisyan and his circle.

The deputy noted that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has outlined a sequence of actions aimed at "returning spiritual authority to the people" in a fraternal atmosphere and through consultations.

When asked whether a meeting between the Catholicos and Prime Minister Pashinyan is possible, Hovhannisyan responded that this largely depends on the behavior of spiritual leaders. According to him, clergymen who have violated their vow of celibacy should leave the church, and dialogue on this issue is not feasible.