Armenian PM fires back at moral attacks from lead cleric with explosive personal jab

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a fierce response to Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who has repeatedly criticised him by questioning his personal and moral character, focusing especially on the fact that Pashinyan is not officially married.

According to Pashinyan’s Facebook post, cited by Caliber.Az, the prime minister not only rejected the accusations but also challenged the moral integrity of the church hierarchy itself with a blunt and provocative statement:

“Holy Father, go ahead and keep sleeping with your uncle’s wife — what do you have to do with me?”

Pashinyan highlighted what he called the double standards applied to him:

“Some people worry about the fact that I’m not officially married. Yet half of our spiritual leadership is in the same position — and those same people don’t care about that.”

He also pointed to the consequences faced by clergy who break their vow of celibacy:

“And what happens when it turns out a monk has violated his vow of celibacy? He loses his position, rank, and robe. So what’s more morally honest — to resign voluntarily or to suffer agonising doubts about whether there will be an investigation and whether the truth will be revealed?”

By Tamilla Hasanova