Gov’t supporters plan to hold rally in Armenia demanding resignation of Catholicos

Supporters of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are planning to hold a rally on February 24 demanding the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II, Report informs referring to the Zhokhovurd newspaper.

For this purpose, a new movement called “Vardanank” has been formed on the initiative of Andranik Dovlatyan, who has been a US citizen for many years and recently moved to Armenia. He is an active supporter of the authorities, publishes posts praising Pashinyan and the ruling Civil Contract party, and also calls on citizens to join the rally against the Catholicos.

“A similar movement against the church was formed in 2018, immediately after the revolution, under the name “New Armenia, new patriarch,” which was again initiated by supporters of this government. All this, perhaps, leaves no doubt that the anti-church movement is clearly directed by the highest echelons of power. This once again indicates that under Nikol Pashinyan the anti-church wave has reached unprecedented scale,” the newspaper wrote.