Pashinyan faces backlash over anti-church campaign

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, his wife and other members of the ruling Civil Contract party have launched a new campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church and its top clergymen, sparking strong criticism.

“How can anyone target the church and lose faith in it?” one citizen told Panorama.am in a street interview on Tuesday. “Throughout history, it was the church that preserved the Armenian people and their language during the darkest times.”

Many believe the church deserves continued respect, urging the Armenian authorities to reconsider their rhetoric.

“The church and the homeland are both under attack,” said another resident of Yerevan. “Right now, it’s hard to tell who is right and who is wrong. Someone needs to step forward and declare: this is our homeland. We need unity. No one else will defend us.”

Another interviewee emphasized the need for public awareness and mobilization: “The people must wake up, understand what’s happening and stand up to defend the country. There is no other option.”

“The authorities have crossed the line, distorting and attacking the church. In fact, the government itself is distorted. Let them keep their hands off our sacred institutions," another remarked sharply.