Pashinyan apologized for inappropriate language towards clergy, but with a caveat

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was forced to apologize for his inappropriate language, but stated that he stands by the same principles that he put into his words earlier.

The Commission recently recognized that the Prime Minister's post on social media on May 30 contains signs of violating Article 48 of the Code of Conduct. In its conclusion, the Commission noted that the Prime Minister has the right to raise socially significant issues, including those related to the observance of the vow of celibacy by high-ranking clergymen, established by the charter of the AAC. However, the form in which these issues are presented is of fundamental importance. The problem, according to the Commission, is that Pashinyan used the rude colloquial word "dompel", denoting sexual intercourse, which does not correspond to the ethical standards of communication for a person holding a government position.

“My apologies concern two specific phrases on which the Commission made a decision. And the goals of the political, spiritual and moral principles associated with them and my will to achieve them, with the support of the people, are unwavering, because this is vital for the political, legal and spiritual security of the Republic of Armenia,” he wrote on his Telegram channel.

According to the Prime Minister, he must learn to better manage his emotions.

Pashinyan explained his apologies by "tolerance and respect for state and democratic institutions."

The confrontation between the RA authorities and the Armenian Apostolic Church escalated after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's publications on social media, in which he made extremely harsh statements and made accusations against the highest clergy. Later, he proposed changing the procedure for electing the Catholicos of All Armenians, suggesting that the decisive role of the state in this process would be consolidated.

On June 25, after large-scale searches, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and several of his supporters were arrested. The Investigative Committee reported that an attempt at an armed seizure of power had been prevented. Galstanyan and his associates are accused of "preparing terrorist attacks and mass riots, and attempting to seize power." On June 29, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan was arrested for two months. A case was opened against him on charges of calling for the seizure of power and the renunciation of sovereignty.

Reprinted from https://am.sputniknews.ru/