MP says support for Armenian church equals opposition to Pashinyan

MP Hayk Mamijanyan, head of the opposition Pativ Unem faction in the parliament, claims that backing the Armenian Apostolic Church is tantamount to opposing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Mamijanyan warned of serious security challenges, citing discussions in Baku over transit routes through Armenia’s sovereign territory and the potential threat to the southern region of Meghri. He argued that such developments could endanger Armenia’s territorial integrity.

He also criticized ruling party members for celebrating recent polling results, saying they misread the data. According to Mamijanyan, Pashinyan’s electoral support is below 50 percent, while public trust in the Armenian Apostolic Church is rising. He added that skepticism toward the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project is widespread.

“If you stand with the Armenian Apostolic Church, that automatically means you are against Pashinyan,” Mamijanyan said. “If you have reservations about TRIPP, that also means you are against Pashinyan.”

Mamijanyan also commented on fellow MP Martun Grigoryan’s decision to align with businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, saying his faction respects the move and values joint opposition efforts.

He reiterated that the opposition’s impeachment initiative is equivalent to street protests and that talks with other opposition forces will focus solely on Pashinyan's ouster. Mamijanyan stressed that impeachment and elections are not contradictory, either legally or politically, and urged critics to take that into account when evaluating the Republican Party’s program.