This is a lie: Defense Ministry did not offer chaplains to join Church “reform” agenda – Papikyan

Claims that the Ministry of Defense proposed that regimental chaplains join Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s church “reform” agenda are false, RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said in a conversation with journalists at the National Assembly.

“There is no such thing. This is a lie,” Papikyan stated, responding to a question about whether the ministry had made such an offer.

Earlier, Father Zareh Ashuryan stated that the Ministry of Defense was offering positions to apostate clergymen, promising them the rank of major and a salary of 700,000 drams.

“I can’t say the salary amount, but I can say that the minister’s order reveals that, yes, we can sign a contract with clergy who have spiritual education from the Armenian Apostolic Church so that they may serve and fulfill their mission. If someone considers service in the Armed Forces or the army to be a renunciation, that is their personal view.”

Addressing salary figures, the defense minister noted that the amount mentioned was exaggerated. “The salary you cite is high, it’s not that much, but it will be a sufficient one and will differ from what they received previously,” he added.