An attempt is being made to replace the national component with neoliberal values, said the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan at a meeting with youth representatives.

His remarks came in response to comment on the intention to exclude the subject of the history of the Armenian Church from the curriculum.

Kocharyan noted that it was during his presidency that the subject was included in the educational program.

"I will say more. We live in a difficult region and we are a small nation. Yes, we have great inner strength, but there are not many of us. I am sure that a certain national component must be - in our perception of our identity - powerful enough to exist in this region," he said adding that there is no right to lose the national component while being surrounded by countries with which we have a complicated history such as Turkey and Azerbaijan.

"And the church is a significant part of it. Therefore, I do not think that the step was correct. Rather, an attempt is being made to inculcate neoliberal values ​​into consciousness," he said.