The order of the minister of defense has been amended and the nature of the spiritual service in the army has changed. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan on Friday told this to reporters in the National Assembly of Armenia.

“The speculation that the spiritual service in the army has been terminated is not true. The spiritual service in the army can continue. It’s just that [now] they must be subject to the Morale and Psychological Department of the Armed Forces. There can be no dual subordination in the army,” Papikyan added.

To a reporter’s remark that the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Armenia offered priests who have been defrocked a monthly salary of 700,000 drams (approx. US$1,860) to work as chaplains in the army, Papikyan replied: “I can’t say the salary amount now, but the [defense] minister’s order reveals that we can sign a contract with servants of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Armenia who have a spiritual education, so that they can serve [in the army] and fulfill their mission.”

To the reporters’ reaction that the priests were offered to join Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s “church reform program” in exchange for money, Suren Papikyan replied: “It’s a lie, there is no such thing. Everything is public. I have publicized my order that these misinterpretations, fairy tales….”

And to the question whether the MoD could have made such a decision without discussing it with the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, Papikyan replied: “All institutions in Armenia are working. Let them appeal, go to court, if so. I don’t think this is  so, I don’t agree with them. All my actions are lawful and appropriate.”