Armenian PM: Church should be transparent in economic affairs

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan raised concerns about the economic transparency of the Armenian Apostolic Church during a meeting with representatives of the Armenian community in Switzerland on January 25, 2025.

Pashinyan addressed a question about potential tensions between the government and the Church, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

"One of the Diaspora representatives asked what problems there are between the government and the Church. I told him that I think the Church should be transparent," he stated.

Pashinyan emphasized the public's expectation for transparency from both the government and the Church. "Everyone expects transparency from the government, who we had lunch with, who we said hello to. And we agree with this demand, but why should the church be non-transparent?" he questioned.

The Prime Minister went on to point out what he saw as inconsistencies in the Church's financial practices. "If someone in the state sells something, pays taxes, but why doesn't the church pay when it sells candles?" he asked, highlighting what he considered a lack of financial accountability within the Church.

However, Pashinyan clarified that any revenue generated by the Church would not be diverted to the national budget. "But we are not going to send this money to the budget, we will return every last penny to the church," he assured.

The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to address rumours about his stance on the leadership of the Church, stating, "I do not pursue the goal of replacing Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, since the activities of the church are separate from the state."

By Tamilla Hasanova