Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan doesn’t think that the Culture Ministry renovates churches without discussing this with clergymen in advance.

At the consultation held in Dilijan town on Friday, the leader of Tavush diocese Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan stated that the Culture Ministry is renovating several churches  simultaneously, thus not finalizing the renovation work of any of them.

“The money is not enough, Mr. Prime Minister,”the leader of Tavush diocese told Karapetyan.

The latter got surprised, noting: “Can’t the church tell the Culture Ministry to renovate two churches instead of ten? You’re saying and they don’t do? We are ready to listen to the opinion of an ordinary citizen, let alone the church, whose renovation is carried out by the Culture Ministry. I don’t think that our ministry starts renovating without consulting with you. And if they do, then they are short-sighted. If you interfere and they don’t respond, then they don’t fear God. I don’t think they won’t respond if you turn to them,” the PM said.

Bishop Galstanyan noted that he hasn’t yet turned to the Ministry regarding this issue. He is to have a meeting with newly-appointed Minister Armen Amiryan on Monday, during which exactly this issue will be discussed.  “We are preparing Mr Amiryan through journalists beforehand,”Karapetyan joked.