"Zhoghovurd" daily writes:
"Nikol Pashinyan's request to remove Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II has also been joined by the leader of the Diocese of Artsakh, His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan. Artsakh Armenians learned about this only on November 27, when a video was published in which high-ranking clerics, bishops and archbishops, who came out against His Holiness had a meeting-discussion with Nikol Pashinyan. Bishop Vrtanes was present at that meeting-discussion.
The attitude of the leader of the Artsakh Diocese caused not only the dissatisfaction of the Artsakh Armenians, but also, as our sources inform, caused a riot even within the walls of his own house, among his relatives. After this incident, according to our sources, the reverend's sisters severed their ties with their brother. It should be noted that the son of one of Vrtanes Srbazan's sisters was also killed during the 44-day war.
This attitude of the head of the Artsakh Diocese has caused great anger and rage among the Artsakh Armenians. They note that the leader of the Diocese was not with them in Artsakh during the siege, but the people turned a blind eye to all that, respecting the fact that Reverend Vrtanes is their spiritual leader, but after this meeting, they cannot turn a blind eye anymore.
"To stand next to a person who drank the blood of our sons, left us without a fatherland and without a grave... How is it possible? This is absurd. We cannot forgive this," says a resident of Artsakh.
It should be noted that the diocesan council of the Artsakh Diocese made a statement immediately after the meeting, stating that they were not aware of the meeting and that they do not share the approaches of Bishop Vrtanes. During this period, many people from the Artsakh government tried to have a meeting with the reverend to understand what was the reason.
As we know, Reverend Vrtanes received the 5th President of Artsakh Samvel Shahramanian, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Mirzoyan and several people from the Diocesan Council, but he did not inform them about the real reason.
There are also internal rumors that Vrtanes Srbazan received the apartment as a gift from the RA Ministry of Defense, and possibly in order not to lose it, he sided with Nikol Pashinyan.
On December 15, a number of non-governmental organizations of Artsakh made a joint statement, expressing their support to His Holiness the Patriarch, and asked to change the leader of the Diocese of Artsakh."
