Opposition MP criticizes PM's comments on clergy

PanARMENIAN.Net - Opposition MP Arthur Khachatryan stated during a press briefing in the National Assembly that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his team spent the week laying the groundwork to justify potential failures and shift blame onto others.

Khachatryan linked the PM’s criticism of clergy to a church-led conference in Switzerland and warned of Azerbaijan’s aggressive provocations.

Referring to the recent social media posts by Pashinyan and his wife targeting clergy, Khachatryan said: “An educated and educating person cannot descend to the level of vulgar slander or kitchen gossip.”

He questioned the timing of these statements, noting their coincidence with an international religious conference initiated by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Switzerland. He also questioned why Speaker Alen Simonyan's statements aligned with the presidential election in the Republic of Artsakh.

Khachatryan also addressed Azerbaijani disinformation, specifically their denial of cross-border gunfire. “Then who fired in Khoznavar—was it the late Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin? Or maybe Blok? Or Griboyedov?” he asked rhetorically.

He argued that Azerbaijan is using border attacks and the new airport opening in Berdzor to prepare for another act of aggression against Armenia.

“Meanwhile, instead of creating the grounds to defend Armenia, Pashinyan and his government are looking for scapegoats,” Khachatryan declared.

He added that this narrative is intended to portray the Etchmiadzin-hosted conference and the Artsakh presidential election as triggers for any potential Azerbaijani assault.

Pointing out the inconsistency in law enforcement responses, Khachatryan criticized authorities for acting on milder posts but not investigating the Prime Minister’s statements.

Anna Hakobyan, in her post about clergy, wrote: “What are you doing in Switzerland? Whom are you safely sending to their native homeland? Whom are you urgently liberating from captivity? Do you even know what spirituality is? What a revelation.”