Armenian authorities have included a demand for the Catholicos' resignation in the government's program

The Armenian government has officially included in its 2026–2031 program a provision regarding the reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and the removal of Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, from office. This was reported by "Novosti-Armenia."

According to the document, the country’s authorities justify the need for these measures by their desire to “bring the Church back into the canonical sphere” and prevent its politicization. Armenian leadership fears that church institutions could become a “foothold for hybrid warfare” initiated by external forces. As part of the program, the government plans to secure the resignation of the current head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, after which it will appoint an interim leader and adopt a new charter that will ensure financial transparency and accountability among the clergy.

It is anticipated that in the future, clergy will be included in the state social security system, and the process of electing a new Catholicos will follow updated rules. This move marks the culmination of an open conflict between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Garegin II, which has been ongoing since 2025. In Etchmiadzin, the authorities’ initiatives are viewed as direct state interference in the internal affairs of a religious organization and as pressure on the clergy. The World Council of Churches had previously expressed its support for the Armenian Apostolic Church.