The September 12 constitutional referendum in Turkey will help Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan become a sultan, according to expert Artak Shakaryan.

“The results of the referendum showed that the ruling party retained public confidence,” Shakaryan told a news conference on September 28.

Commenting on the religious ceremony in Akhtamar island, he said, “Should Turkish Armenians boycott the liturgy, the authorities would have closed all Armenian churches and schools the next day.”

Shakaryan presumed that the cross will be placed on Holy Cross Church by April 24, 2011.