From now on, community and state lands of Armenia will be provided to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the construction and maintenance of churches not by right of ownership, but only with the right of gratuitous use. Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Asatur Vardanyan stated this during the debates on the bill on amendments to the Land Code of Armenia at Thursday’s meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection.

Article 64 of the Land Code of Armenia refers to the gratuitous provision of land plots that are state and community property. At the same time, Article 75, Part 1, Clause 2.1 of the Code already provides for the provision of state and community-owned lands to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church with the right of gratuitous use without holding any tender. Thus, the bill provides for the repeal of Article 64, Part 1.2 of the Land Code of Armenia of May 2, 2001, as stated in the explanation of the aforesaid bill.

Currently, in accordance with Article 64, Part 1.2 of the Land Code of Armenia, state and community-owned lands are provided to the Armenian Apostolic Church free of charge, with the right of ownership, for the construction of churches and church buildings. And since the provision on use is already provided for in Article 75, Part 1, Clause 2.1 of the Code, the draft law proposes to repeal Article 64, Part 1.2 of the Land Code of Armenia of May 2, 2001.

However, the explanation for the draft law does not indicate why it was decided to make these changes.

But the rules established by the Armenian government will not apply to the lands that have been transferred to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin so far.

In essence, the government of Armenia will no longer provide land to the Armenian Apostolic Church by right of ownership and on a gratuitous basis.