Armenian Honorary Consul Fired After Defending Church

Vahagn Aleksanian, a deputy chairman of Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, appeared to confirm the Russian report.

“In my view, an honorary consul has no right to speak out against policies of the elected authorities of Armenia or actions of Armenia’s law-enforcement bodies,” Aleksanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Pashinyan has been pressuring Karekin to resign, saying that the latter had fathered a child in breach of his vows of celibacy. His detractors say that he is simply trying to please Azerbaijan and/or neutralize a key source of opposition to his unilateral concessions to Armenia’s arch-foe.

In a July 20 appeal to his supporters, Pashinyan pledged to “free” the Echmiadzin seat of the Catholicos, which is part of the town of Vagharshapat, from Karekin. He said they should gear up for a rally in Vagharshapat’s central square adjacent to the church’s Mother See.

The gathering did not take place last week, contrary to predictions made by some media outlets and opposition figures. Pashinyan has not yet set a date for it.

Karekin’s office accused Pashinyan on July 21 of planning a violent attack on the Mother See. Armenian opposition groups condemned Pashinyan’s declared plans in even stronger terms. They also urged their supporters to be ready to rush to Echmiadzin and protect the Catholicos.