Hraparak daily of Armenia writes as follows, in particular: [PM] Nikol Pashinyan continues his campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church and its ministers. He just does it more quietly during the pre-election period [ahead of the parliamentary elections on June 7].

We had written that by order of the head of the Prison Service, the clergy serving the prisons, in particular, Father Grigor Hovhannisyan, was banned from entering the penitentiary; he has been visiting lifers for more than 10 years. The clergy attached to the penitentiaries have been serving for many years on a free basis, they were selected by the decision of the Catholicos [of All Armenians], there is a department serving the penitentiaries in the Mother See [of Holy Etchmiadzin].

Nikol Pashinyan has decided to take this matter out of the hands of the church, depriving the [serving] Catholicos [Karekin II] of another lever. They said that weeks ago, the Prison Service contacted the current clergy, offered [them] to sign contracts with them—moreover, on a paid basis—trying to interest [them] in replenishing the ranks of the traitors [i.e. the clergy siding with Pashinyan], but they did not agree.

After that, they began to sign contracts with the clergy of the dioceses of the traitors who had gone over to Pashinyan's side. We will find out how much they will pay them in the near future.