Mirzoyan: "Let Mr. Lavrov not interfere in the internal affairs and domestic policy of Armenia"
YEREVAN, June 30. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan called on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov not to interfere in the country's internal affairs.
In particular, Lavrov stated that "what is happening inside the Republic of Armenia is the internal affair of our neighbors, but, of course, attacks on the canonical, thousand-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church are of grave concern, and I really do not want this Church to be subjected to unjustified attacks, essentially, without any serious grounds."
"This is a legal process and an internal affair of Armenia, and let Mr. Lavrov not interfere in the internal affairs and domestic policy of Armenia," Mirzoyan said on Monday at a joint press conference with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas in Yerevan. According to him, Lavrov's information is incorrect and incomplete.
"If I am not mistaken, Mr. Lavrov used the wording "the struggle of the authorities against the church." Lavrov's information is completely untrue. There is no struggle of the authorities against the church in Armenia. What Mr. Lavrov means most likely concerns the interference or participation of a number of church figures in the political processes in the country," Mirzoyan said.
About the arrest of two archbishops
On June 26, the Investigative Committee of Armenia reported the arrest of 15 people from among the leaders and participants of the "Sacred Struggle" movement, who are defendants in a criminal case on organizing terrorist attacks and seizing power in the country. Among those arrested are the leader of the "Sacred Struggle" movement, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, two more clergymen, former member of the Artsakh parliament David Galstyan, retired colonel Migran Makhsudyan, and Dashnaktsutyun member Igor Sargsyan.
On June 27, the Investigative Committee initiated a public criminal prosecution against the Primate of the Shirak Diocese, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian under Article 422 of the Criminal Code on public calls for the seizure of power and the violent overthrow of the constitutional order using the media, information and communication technologies. On the territory of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, NSS and police officers tried to detain him, but they were prevented by representatives of the clergy and believers. Ajapakhian independently arrived at the Investigative Committee in Yerevan, where he was detained. On June 28, the court ruled to arrest him for two months. The archbishop does not admit the charges, and his lawyers intend to appeal the decision.
