Newspaper: Why Armenia PM did not congratulate Catholicos on his birthday?

NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 24 2022

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The tie between [PM] Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church has been irretrievably broken after the [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war [in the fall of 2020].

Pashinyan, in fact, views the valorization of state institutions, their role through his own, narrow personal prism. This year as well he did not congratulate Catholicos Karekin II on his birthday, which was celebrated on August 21, whereas Pashinyan was "warmly" congratulating His Holiness for three consecutive years after coming to power (…).

After the war, when the Catholicos publicly started criticizing the [incumbent Armenian] authorities, he became a thorn in Pashinyan's side. According to some information, media under the authorities’ control, even the Public [TV], have been instructed not to cover the activities of the Catholicos in any way.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS