Armenian PM to sue “Hraparak” newspaper, targets Church leader

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced plans to sue the newspaper Hraparak, stating that he intends to defend his personal values and reputation.

“I will certainly sue the newspaper ‘Hraparak’ to prove that family and spiritual life for me are values and principles, and not a means to mislead people,” Pashinyan wrote in a post published on his official Facebook page, Caliber.Az quotes. 

In the same post, the prime minister reiterated his accusation against Catholicos Garegin II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, claiming the cleric had violated his vow of celibacy.

"I insist: Catholicos Garegin II has broken his vow of celibacy and has a child. Let him also sue me to prove his compliance with the declared values and his status of Catholicos,” Pashinyan stated.

The comments come amid growing tension between the government and the Church. In recent remarks, Pashinyan questioned the number of celibate clergy within the Armenian Apostolic Church who may be secretly maintaining families. He also suggested that the Armenian state should have a more prominent role in the process of electing the Catholicos of All Armenians.

In parallel, reports indicate that the ruling Civil Contract party is drafting legislation that would impose new requirements on the Armenian Apostolic Church, including mandatory state financial audits and increased transparency measures.

By Sabina Mammadli