Naturally, this is an obstacle: Archbishop Nathan discusses the Episcopal Assembly

The Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of the Mother See, Archbishop Nathan Harutyunyan, stated in a conversation with journalists that he cannot say for certain whether the Episcopal Assembly will take place, as six bishops of the Supreme Spiritual Council are currently prohibited from leaving the country, and six members cannot be present from Armenia.

“In any case, everything is being done to disrupt the assembly and prevent it from happening. Naturally, this is an obstacle; the Episcopal Assembly should occur with the presence of bishops,” he noted.

Addressing the issue regarding the potential dismissal of bishops who joined Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's campaign for church renovation, Nathan Harutyunyan remarked that the discussions circulating in the public are merely proposals. He indicated that a discussion will take place when official bodies start to address the matter, and at that point, it won’t be kept secret.

He also emphasized that there is no legal power to impose such coercion on the Mother See, as the leader is not a civil servant but serves and is appointed by the Catholicos of All Armenians, and can change their position again under the direction of the Catholicos.