Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that a number of religious monuments, including the Ovanavank monastery, currently on the government's balance sheet, will be returned to the state.
According to Modern.az, Pashinyan stated during his speech at the government hour held in parliament that although some monasteries and churches are currently on the government's balance sheet, they have been given to the Armenian Apostolic Church “for indefinite and gratuitous use”:
“If my information is correct, the Ovanavank monastery and a number of other monuments are on the government's balance sheet. These churches have been given to the Apostolic Church for gratuitous use. However, there are both moral and legal grounds to return these monuments to society,” Pashinyan emphasized.
His words were broadcast via local television channels and caused widespread resonance in the country.
Against the backdrop of Pashinyan's statement, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan also issued a harsh statement against the head of the Apostolic Church – Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.
Simonyan called the Catholicos's decisions “illegal” and accused him of breaking his oath:
“Who is the Catholicos? I don't know such a person. He has broken his oath,” the speaker stated.
