Kristine Vardanyan, a member of the opposition Armenia parliamentary faction, stated that the recent targeting of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin by both Azerbaijani Muslim leader Allahshukur Pashazadeh and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan cannot be coincidental. She made these comments during a press briefing, as reported by Pastinfo.

Vardanyan noted that MPs familiar with the draft agreement being discussed with Azerbaijan have warned that a denationalization program is being implemented in Armenia at Azerbaijan’s behest. She highlighted that the draft agreement includes a clause obligating Armenia to fight against “revanchism”—a term Azerbaijan uses to label all those defending Armenian rights and interests.

According to her, some terms of the agreement have already come into effect without formal signing.

She pointed to two specific developments: “This is evident in the campaign against the Church. One clause stipulates that no third-party forces be stationed on the border, and Russian troops were removed from Meghri.”

Vardanyan added that the push for constitutional amendments is already underway and sees it as linked to the terms of the agreement under discussion.

“Pashinyan says that if the agreement contradicts the Constitution, he’ll change the Constitution,” she remarked.

In her view, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has become a target because it defends the rights of Artsakh Armenians.

“You can’t find any logical explanation for this targeting of the Church. Why is it that when Artsakh Armenians hold rallies in Armenia, they are followed by hate campaigns? Why is it that when the Church consistently defends Artsakh Armenians’ rights in sermons and prayers, hosts international conferences, and speaks up about the return of prisoners, it becomes a target?” she asked.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, responding to clerical criticism of his recent comment comparing churches to storage rooms, has published a series of offensive posts about clergy on Facebook. His posts, echoed by his wife Anna Hakobyan, who called clergy “the country’s top pedophiles.” Pashinyan has also asserted that the state must play a central role in selecting the Catholicos of All Armenians, and questioned the celibacy of Catholicos Karekin II, stating that if he has a child, he cannot be considered celibate or remain Catholicos.

The Mother See responded that such condemnable actions serve the interests of external anti-Armenian forces and align with Azerbaijani propaganda targeting the Armenian people and the Church.