The National Assembly did not accept the draft authored by the Republican Party that suggested for the Catholicos of All Armenians to have special protection. “Religious and sexual minorities are being glorified. There are widespread insults all across social media. The comments are no different from pornographic films. There must be people in this environment who conduct themselves adequately,” said member of the RPA Executive Body, RPA deputy Samvel Nikoyan as he described the moral-psychological atmosphere in society. When asked what the reasons are for the church to be attacked now, Nikoyan told reporters, “As a result of the latest events, there is permissiveness in Armenia.”
Nikoyan emphasized that there were protests against the Patriarch a few months ago. “A few people committed violence against the Apostolic Church and the Catholicos of All Armenians. That was a result of the latest events in our country and was led by politics. Karen Petrosyan was appointed President of the Gyumri Branch of the Armenian State University of Economics. Is this a coincidence? Nothing is coincidental. He was rewarded for what he had done.”
According to Samvel Nikoyan, the people protesting against the Patriarch are not just anyone. “These are people who have been fed by grants for years. There are political forces that are against the safety of the Catholicos when there is a need for it. The Armenian Apostolic Church needs to be protected from sexual and religious minorities. If there are attacks against him from such minorities, then political forces need to protect him. If we see encouragement from sexual minorities, then our position needs to be made clear.”
Luiza Sukiasyan
