Armenian government faces conflict with Church over leadership removal

The Armenian government is facing significant tension with the Armenian Apostolic Church following state policies aimed at the removal of Catholicos Karekin II. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party included a commitment in its manifesto and subsequent five-year government programme to unilaterally remove the head of the Church. This programme was approved by the National Assembly on August 25.

The Church’s Supreme Spiritual Council has condemned these moves, stating that the National Assembly lacks the constitutional competence to interfere in internal religious matters. The Church emphasized that Armenian law recognizes religious communities as autonomous entities. In response to the policy, government spokesperson Melanya Harutyunyan stated that the state’s aim is not to appoint a Catholicos but to restore the normal functioning of the Church’s own bodies.

Adding to the controversy, the Austrian weekly Die Furche published an article by journalist Susanne Glass that characterized the political campaign against the Church as a struggle against Russian influence. The article suggested potential ties between Karekin II and Russian intelligence, a claim the Church and legal representatives have criticized. Armenian lawyer Ruben Melikyan has accused the publication of violating journalistic standards and being defamatory.