Armenia’s Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, addressing criminal proceedings involving clergy, said efforts are being made to complete these cases within the shortest possible timeframe.
“To avoid claims that cases are being delayed or that artificial agendas are being pursued, on the contrary, everything is being done to obtain the necessary evidence as quickly as possible and to decide whether the case should be sent to court or not,” she stressed, according to Aysor.am .
She declined to comment on a provision in the election program of the Civil Contract party regarding the removal of the Catholicos of All Armenians.
“The Prosecutor’s Office does not provide assessments outside criminal proceedings,” she stated in parliament.
She added that the prosecutor’s office issues assessments within the framework of initiating criminal prosecution and later through an approved indictment.
“After that, the case proceeds to public trial, where all our arguments are presented and discussed, and decisions are made by the court,” Vardapetyan said.
She said that she does not engage in politics and therefore does not comment on political statements.
The Civil Contract party’s election program includes provisions on church reform, revising its charter, removing the Catholicos, and holding new elections. The Mother See has stated that such approaches are harmful to the nation and completely unacceptable.
