Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan said that the Armenian community of Istanbul has launched a signature collection to hold new elections of Constantinople Co-Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The community has already collected 2,500 signatures, Melkonyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

Тhe spiritual council of Constantinople Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church elected Patriarchal Locum Tenens, and not Co-Patriarch, as it was expected. The spiritual council consisting of 26 members has approved the candidacy of His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshyan by the majority of votes.