The proceedings against the Catholicos violate the Constitution: Anna Grigoryan

The proceedings against the Catholicos of All Armenians are unconstitutional. This was stated in the National Assembly by Anna Grigoryan, head of the “Armenia” faction, commenting on attempts to pressure the Catholicos and bishops.

The deputy noted that any person, regardless of their status, can find themselves in the position of a defendant if they have committed a crime. However, she said, the question arises, what exactly did the Catholicos do?

“And what did the Catholicos of All Armenians do? A Catholicos who has the authority to ordain an archbishop also has the right to defrock him. Given that the Constitution enshrines the principle of separation of Church and state, it’s obvious: the shameful and disgraceful spectacle we’ve witnessed is simply unconstitutional,” the lawmaker emphasized.

Speaking about the external challenges facing Armenia, Grigoryan noted that the people have effectively found themselves under the influence of agendas imposed from outside.

“The Armenian people have ended up caught between two externally imposed referendums. On one side, Aliyev’s demand for constitutional amendments; on the other, pressure related to the EAEU–EU referendums. It’s a disgrace when the discussion of our people’s future is dictated by outside forces,” Grigoryan stated.