The election of co-ruler of the Constantinople Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church caused crisis in the Armenian community of Istanbul, an expert said.

“Turkish authorities tried their best for the victory of the candidate they supported, although not openly,” Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“Indifference of the co-ruler about the life of the community make lead to assimilation of Armenians,” he said. “Ankara will use the issue as a trump card in the dialogue with Yerevan.”

Melkonyan also drew attention to the fact of Islamization of Armenian labor migrants in Turkey.