Pashinyan's party includes the ouster of Garegin II in Armenia's development program
The Civil Contract party of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has included in the country's development program a provision on removing the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), Garegin II.
The corresponding draft program has been published on the website of Armenia's unified e-government portal.
The provision on removing the head of the AAC was included in the section devoted to spiritual security and reform of the institution of the church. Pashinyan's party stated that the measure is aimed at countering "external influence" and preventing the politicization of the church.
"The removal of the de facto head of the Armenian Apostolic Church (retirement) will be ensured, and the election of a Patriarchal Locum Tenens will be held in accordance with the established procedure," the document says.
