In the Armenian Parliament, lawmakers are debating the creation of an investigative commission on matters concerning the Armenian Church and insults directed at the Catholicos

The session of the National Assembly of Armenia held on October 6 was marked by heated verbal exchanges between representatives of the ruling “Civic Contract” party and the opposition “Strong Armenia” bloc. The latest round of tension was triggered by a discussion of a controversial bill concerning the activities of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as reported by News.am on .

The focus was on a draft resolution to establish an investigative commission to examine the crisis within the Armenian Apostolic Church. Opposition forces openly call this initiative unconstitutional. During the debate, tensions flared when Taron Chakhoyan, a deputy from the ruling party, referred to Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II by his secular name—Ktrich Nersisyan—while speaking from the rostrum. This move was perceived by the opposition as a provocation, sparking loud protests and shouts from the floor, including direct insults directed at the speaker.

The situation was further complicated by the behavior of the parliamentary leadership. According to sources, National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan took a blatantly biased stance, making emotional remarks exclusively to opposition representatives while ignoring the provocative statements of his own party members. This incident marked the second major altercation of the day within the legislature, underscoring the deep crisis of trust between the country’s political forces.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that court hearings had begun in Armenia in the case of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six high-ranking bishops, marking another stage in the protracted standoff between the country’s religious authorities and the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.