David Ananyan: Attacks on Samvel Karapetyan, the Armenian Apostolic  Church  planned from the start

ArmInfo. Attacks on businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church were planned from the start. Former Chairman of the  RA State Revenue Committee, David Ananyan, told reporters on October 15.

According to him, if one follows the evolution of events, one cannot  help but notice the speed of decision- making. Immediately after  Samvel Karapetyan's statement in defense of the Armenian Apostolic  Church, there were rapid developments. "Of course, there were  provocations. Essentially, we are talking about isolating a  businessman who is being held hostage and who has made a very  significant contribution to the development of the Republic of  Armenia," David Ananyan noted. 

He pointed out that the authorities are afraid of Samvel Karapetyan.  While in the case of local entrepreneurs in the context of  combating  corruption, they simply attribute allegedly illegally acquired  property to them , the same approach doesn't work for Karapetyan, who  amassed his wealth outside of Armenia. On one hand, the authorities  use administrative resources against the businessman, and on the  other hand, they see Karapetyan's growing popularity among the people  and therefore fear him.

Speaking about the Armenian Apostolic Church, Ananyan noted that the  Church is a national structure that, throughout its 1,700-year  history, has never faced the problem of ceasing its activities. Even  during periods when Armenia lost its statehood, the Armenian  Apostolic Church continued to function. "If there is an agenda,   demand, and directive to attack the foundations of statehood, then  the entire propaganda machine and the entire state apparatus should  direct their arrows against the AAC," the former head of the State  Revenue Committee noted, pointing out that the attacks on the AAC  were not accidental.