Opposition MP: After US Vice President`s visit, new developments can  be expected in Pashinyan`s anti- church campaign

ArmInfo.  After US Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Yerevan, new developments can be expected in Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's anti-church campaign. Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of parliament from the "Armenia" faction and a representative of the Supreme Body of the  Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktsutyun), told  reporters on February 10. 

"The authorities will continue their attacks on the Armenian  Apostolic Church (AAC) as long as possible, as this is yet another  demand of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev," the oppositionist  stated. Saghatelyan characterized the US Vice President's visit as  another election ploy, similar to the import of Azerbaijani gasoline  and grain to Armenia. "This whole thing is an election ploy, for  which we will pay with territory and blood. Vance's visit is yet  another way for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to deceive  the Armenian people. In reality, Pashinyan has no peace agenda, as  evidenced by his years in power, which have been exclusively about  losses and concessions," the MP believes.

Saghatelyan also expressed his conviction that, despite all these  circumstances, Pashinyan still lacks the most important thing-the  support of the people. "And it is the people who shape power," the he  noted.  Speaking about Vance's visit to Azerbaijan, Saghatelyan  expressed hope that the American official would raise the matter of  prisoners of war. "We hope that during his visit, Vance will raise  the matter of Armenian prisoners. I'm not sure how consistent the  Armenian authorities are on this issue, but we hope there will be  some progress," he concluded.

Recall, Vance was in Yerevan on February 9-10. This afternoon, he  will leave Yerevan for Baku, where he will hold meetings with  Azerbaijani leadership.