Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan said that the liturgy in Holy Cross church and the processes that preceded and followed it have proved that Turkish propaganda ended in fiasco.

“Besides, it is a collapse for the economy of Van,” Melkonyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

According to him, Turkish businessmen were promised to benefit from the visit of thousands of Armenians, but this has not come true.

The Armenian expert added that about 700-800 Armenians participated in the liturgy against 4,000-5,000 reported by Turkish media.

Melkonyan noted that the Turkish government resorted to tricks to increase the number of participants, sending invitations to various Armenian organizations on behalf of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“I also received a similar invitation, but has not replied to it,” he said.

“The liturgy has stirred up heirs of forcibly Islamized Armenians during the Armenian Genocide. 100 people from Mush visited Holly Cross Church on September 20 and admitted being the heirs of Islamized Armenians,” Melkonyan said.