The European Union’s stance on Armenia’s internal religious and political tensions has come under scrutiny, with allegations of overlooking actions against the Armenian Apostolic Church by the country’s government.
Since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s rise to power in 2018, Armenia has witnessed strained church-state relations, further exacerbated by the country’s loss in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The situation has led to arrests of several bishops and travel restrictions on the Church’s head, drawing criticism likening Pashinyan to a Soviet-era dictator.
Pashinyan, however, defends his actions, asserting that his efforts aim to protect the Church from “anti-Christian” and “anti-state” influences. Accusations against senior Church figures include endorsing calls for the assassination of government ministers and supporting the violent overthrow of the government.
Samvel Karapetyan, an opposition leader and businessman detained and currently under house arrest, has instructed his legal team, Amsterdam & Partners LLP, to take legal action against the EU over its perceived backing of Armenia.
In a legal notification to the EU, Karapetyan’s team criticized the EU’s portrayal of Armenia as a democratic model, highlighting its treatment of political opponents and the Church. They also cast doubt on the legitimacy of Armenia’s latest parliamentary elections. Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party secured 23% of the vote, trailing Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, which garnered 49%.
Despite challenges in court by Strong Armenia, the party expressed skepticism about judicial independence. Robert Amsterdam of Amsterdam & Partners LLP stated, “The European Union has not acted as a neutral observer. It has chosen to align itself with a government that has overseen widespread arrests, targeted its critics, attacked the Church and weakened democratic safeguards. Brussels cannot claim to be a defender of democracy while ignoring these abuses and refusing to engage seriously with opposition voices. The EU’s actions have helped shield this government from accountability.”
Addressing the allegations, an EU spokesperson pointed to the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission’s preliminary report, which found that Armenia’s elections provided a “genuine choice among political alternatives in a well-run process.” The report also noted that the legal framework supported democratic elections and incorporated several prior recommendations from ODIHR.
The EU spokesperson acknowledged concerns identified by OSCE/ODIHR and encouraged Armenian stakeholders to address these issues. They also highlighted external pressures from Russia, including escalating trade restrictions and security threats.
The EU’s statement from June 8, released by the High Representative, reiterated the call for all political entities to respect the election results and utilize legal avenues for any electoral grievances.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
