Deputy Speaker of Parliament: I arrived there to clarify some boyish accounts. Lilit Galstyan

Deputy of the ‘Armenia’ faction in the National Assembly, Lilit Galstyan, stated in an interview with NEWS.am that the processes occurring against the Armenian Church are an 'assault' and a 'campaign' directed not only against the Church and the Catholicos of All Armenians but also against the entire Armenian people and statehood.

According to her, throughout history, the Armenian people and the Church have faced such attacks numerous times, recalling the Turkish-Mongolian and Bolshevik invasions.

Galstyan noted that the Armenian Church, with its more than 1700-year history, has gone through heavy spiritual and physical trials, and the current developments, in her view, are indicative of a 'hostile script' that, unfortunately, is manifesting from within.

The MP expressed the opinion that active actions against the Church began after Karekin II voiced the right of return for Artsakh residents in Switzerland and highlighted the destruction of Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in Artsakh. She characterized these processes as cultural genocide, noting that they have followed direct genocide.

According to Galstyan, the external influence on Armenia's agendas is 'more than evident.'

She also informed that she recently participated in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, where she addressed the 'unacceptable attacks' against the Armenian Church. She emphasized that according to the Constitution, the church and the state are separated, and actions against the Church, in her conviction, fall outside the moral and political sphere.

Referring to the visit of Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan to the Sakharavank monk Tser Oshin for clarification regarding his comments, Lilit Galstyan stated that this is indicative of a revengeful approach. 'The Deputy Speaker went there to settle some boyish accounts. This is unacceptable behavior; sometimes, you find yourself sinking due to such behavior. I am always left questioning how we found ourselves on this level of degradation, devaluation, and immorality. Nevertheless, I do not lose my optimism. First of all, the Church has the strength to regenerate, to spiritualize, to endure,' she said.