Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan wrote on his Facebook page that “some of our churches have turned not into storerooms, but into barns.”

He said that despite objections from “hypocrites,” people must openly address the state of certain churches. “If we don’t want this condition to persist, we should speak frankly about it — whether some clerics like it or not,” Papoyan wrote.

He also posted a photo from Kobayr Monastery to support his point.

These comments follow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s earlier controversial remarks likening churches to “storerooms” during a cabinet session. In response to clergy criticism, Pashinyan — along with his wife Anna Hakobyan — made further offensive statements on Facebook, including personal insults toward Church representatives.

Pashinyan has also declared that the state should have a decisive role in the election of the Catholicos of All Armenians.