Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenia writes as follows, in particular: Zhoghovurd daily has learned exclusive information: [PM] Nikol Pashinyan has finalized his scenario to unseat Catholicos of All Armenians (…) Karekin II.

If before this, he was announcing from the NA [i.e. National Assembly] podium that he was going to go to Etchmiadzin with people who had read the Bible, through the formation of a council, for a “spiritual assembly,” now that idea has turned into a concrete plan.

According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, the authorities are going to use the words of Father Aram Asatryan, which the latter utters with dissatisfaction that they are being pressured within the [Armenian Apostolic] church and forced to participate in opposition rallies. According to Pashinyan’s plan, based on these statements, he will attempt to title his steps as “protection of the rights of the clergy,” and raise the theory that the Catholicos is pressuring his subordinates, and the state should protect the [Armenian Apostolic] church from the Catholicos.

In this scenario, it would be a real “gift” for Pashinyan if Karekin II decides to reprimand or defrock Father Aram. This will be viewed as another punitive action, and the authorities will seize the opportunity, attack the Veharan [i.e. the official residence and workplace of the Catholicos of All Armenians], presenting it as a “spiritual assembly,” “spiritual conversation,” etc.

According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, this scenario is viewed within the authorities as a major political step that should be implemented after the CC [i.e. the ruling Civil Contract Party and its parliamentary faction] board elections, but before the national [parliamentary] elections [next year]. (…). The CC intends to appoint Father Aram as the Catholicos’ locum tenens, since he is not a celibate, but a married priest, after which it will organize new elections for the Patriarch of All Armenians.