Armenian PM calls for legal mechanisms to curb political activity by non-citizens

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called for the introduction of legislative mechanisms to regulate political activity by individuals who do not hold Armenian citizenship.

Pashinyan made the remarks during a meeting with National Security Service personnel, where he introduced the agency’s newly appointed director, Andranik Simonyan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“In our country, there are phenomena we constantly tolerate, which are not seen anywhere else in the world. For example, individuals without Armenian citizenship are allowed to engage in political activity in the Republic of Armenia, often expressing the most radical views," Pashinyan’s press service quoted him as saying.

The prime minister added: "We need to have mechanisms in place, and if necessary, implement legislative changes to address such cases.” 

Pashinyan’s statement appears to target specific figures, notably Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a prominent critic of the government and leader of the “Holy Struggle” movement, who holds Canadian citizenship in addition to his Armenian background. Galstanyan, head of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has been a leading voice in protests against Pashinyan’s territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, particularly the return of four border villages in May 2024.

Galstanyan's arrest on June 25, on charges of terrorism and plotting a coup, alongside other opposition figures, has intensified the ongoing conflict between the government and the Church, a powerful institution with significant influence over Armenian society.

By Khagan Isayev