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BAGRATIK’S EXPEDITIONS: Who are the handlers of Arch. Bagrat?

Posted on May. 26. 2024

Below is the text of a televised conversation on USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV which was aired via AMGA TV on May 17, 2024. The TV program, titled “ BAGRAT’S EXPEDITIONS. Who are the handlers of Arch. Bagrat?” features investigative journalists Appo Jabarian and Vosgan Mekhitarian. 

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APPO JABARIAN: Good evening, dear viewers, my name is Appo Jabarian. 

Apparently, the political circus a la Tavush is still continuing. However, it seems, Bagratik’s pitiful expedition to be doomed, because the expected result is not materializing. 

All this circus was organized, apparently, by the 5th column. We saw in the videos how enthusiastically the supporters of the old regimes surrounded Archbishop Bagrat in order to heroify him. And we owe this “phenomenon” to the “flying monkeys”. “Flying monkeys” are such human beings that are not necessarily bad people. They can seriously believe in what they say; be seriously convinced that they are doing ‘the right thing’ for a ‘higher purpose.’ There are also those “flying monkeys” who try to save Armenia at any cost. Of course, these are hypocritical “flying monkeys” who act like saviors who think that they can save Armenia by going to the other extreme. 

As I have mentioned on several occasions, there are many people like us – fellow investigative journalist Vosgan Mekhitarian and myself. They form an army of independent thinkers both abroad and inside the homeland. 

Those independent thinkers are not necessarily in love with the authorities of the day. However, strategically, they are on the right path based on the following logic: Had the broad masses remained passive, they would have been an accomplice in the return of the power of the old kleptomaniac regime. Fortunately, those “flying monkeys” were not able to achieve their goal, because today, to the credit of our people, both abroad and inside the motherland, they are being quite vigilant. That’s why world Armenians saw how hundreds of thousands of people in Armenia abstained from participating in this circus covertly sponsored by former presidents Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan and their fellow clansman Catholicos Karekin II. 

While this circus continues, as primate of Canada Diocese, Archb. Bagrat — also known as ‘Bagratik’, who has been involved in numerous nefarious and unethical activities in Canada, is apparently not satisfied with his “achievements” from the days of his service until now and wants to be the prime minister. We saw. What a disgrace! Let’s look at “drama-comedy” unfolding before our eyes. In the light of these developments, I would suggest that my interlocutor, Mr. Mekhitarian, present his point of view and then continue our conversation. 

VOSGAN Mekhitarian – Dear viewers, today I will create a parallel on the relationship between the church and politics. 

As you all know, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan recently started a political movement called “Tavush for the Homeland”. 

It is very interesting to note that this ‘movement’ created a significant but very problematic relationship between the church and politics. What will happen today in Armenia is that a high-ranking religious leader has entered the political arena and is trying or wanting to carry out a political coup d’etat. But let’s not forget that this was not the case when that march started from Tavush. The so-called ‘handover of land’ was a pretext. When he arrived in Yerevan, the image became very clear: [The old regime] wants to come back to power. 

But let’s analyze all this together, and about this interrelationship between the church and politics. 

Apparently, Arch. Bagrat Galstanyan also has great ambitions to be the prime minister, and he dares to announce it all, adding that “if the people want it, he is ready.” That’s a blatant violation of the constitution of Armenia which does not grant such a right to dual citizens. Arch. Bagrat has two citizenships: he is a Canadian and a citizen of Armenia. 

Therefore, let’s put that story aside. But there are contradictory phenomena. An archbishop, a high-ranking clergyman, who is supposed to be the mediator between his people and God, has come to the arena today with a completely different plan. I want these approaches to be clear for all of you, I will repeat this sentence once more, after which I will move on. I am talking about a church clergyman who is tarnishing the credit of the Armenian Apostolic Church. 

His behavior discredits the Armenian Apostolic Church. My allusion is directed only to the clergy and not to the sanctity of the Holy Mother See. … Every time we talk about individuals like Arch. Bagrat, some pundits erroneously claim that the Armenian Apostolic Church is being attacked. … We are the children of the Mother See. Therefore, we could not stone our house. It is true that the behavior of Arch. Bagrat completely contradicts the teachings of our church. 

The bishop preached to lead a struggle for truth, reconciliation and solidarity, but he turned around and called for public disobedience. Arch. Bagrat, in which page of the Gospel is it written that you incite the people to disobey their government, which is elected by its people? 

The authorities will come and go, but don’t incite the people against the government that was elected by them. The time will come, these governments will come and go, just like “Bagrat”s will come and go. Therefore, do not tarnish the people’s morale. Especially, you, the members of the church clergy, who are obliged to preach love and solidarity. But you have taken to the streets and are preaching public disobedience. 

Disobedience against whom? If you were so brave, you would go to the border with a weapon in your hand. The enemy is outside. Do not instigate our people against their government. Fortunately, as Mr. Jabarian mentioned a while ago, your movement is doomed from the first day, and today it is taking its last breath. 

As there are no supporters in the arena, you and your partners will be obliged to clear the arena one by one… You are no longer serving the church. On the contrary, you are harming the dignity of the Armenian Apostolic Church. You are undermining the credibility of the Church that has kept and preserved us for centuries, in other words, has been the backbone of our identity. 

It’s interesting that Arch. Bagrat Galstanyan is not hiding the identity of his sponsors, especially his spiritual father, Catholicos Karekin II. I don’t think anyone has any doubts about his [political] backers. My concern, dear ones, is the credibility of the Armenian Apostolic Church. 

Karekins will come and go, as they have come and gone in the past. But let’s not forget that the church should never be defamed, and the defamers are those Karekin-aligned clergy, who were supposed to be honest mediators between the People and God, but today they are trying to destroy that Church, to destroy that huge ‘oak tree,’ which is the best symbol of our identity. 

What is sad is not only the arrogance and boastfulness of Archbishop Bagrat, which, as we said, will come to an end sooner or later, but also the fact that there are other clerics supporting him. It would be good to call them churchmen rather than spiritual leaders, because there is nothing spiritual left in them. Be it the former primate of the Shirak Diocese along with the current primate, Archbishop Mikayel Achapahyan, along with the primate of the Artsakh Diocese, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan. 

Both of them participated in the march, but Archbishop Mikayel Achapahyan’s announcement surpasses them all. After announcing his support, he clearly said in his statement that “the killers should get rid of the current prime minister when it becomes necessary.” Do you understand what it means? He is openly calling for the repeat of what happened in the past [October 27, 1999 political assassinations in the Armenian Parliament], when the government leadership was assassinated. Now, how can we call these people ‘serpazan’ (‘holy’)? Those are not spiritual servants. They are agents hidden under a façade of spiritual leaders. 

The saddest aspect is that, we, who will live in Diaspora, are witnessing the exportation of the nefarious activities of this clan to the diaspora dioceses in order to act against the current government. And who do you think has given his ‘blessing’ if not Catholicos Karekin? 

Don’t you think that the time has come for Arch. Bagrat to resign as a spiritual servant in the church, if he really wants to enter political life. Or, he must be punished by His Holiness and be sent to penance. My concern and that of others like me (including many clergy agree with me) that all these acts will only tarnish the name of the Armenian Church. 

The Armenian Apostolic Church is holy. Do not allow, dear ones, individuals like Arch. Bagrat, or like Mikayel to hide under the veil of spiritual servants. Remove them all from the church, because they will tarnish not only the honor and dignity of the church, but also undermine your faith towards the Armenian Apostolic Church. 

APPO JABARIAN: There are really kind-hearted compatriots among our people, but there are also such elements who see their future with the old kleptomaniacs. These modern-day “flying monkeys” do not appreciate the value of Armenian statehood. 

A person can be in opposition to the government, but always be loyal to the state. And it is for this reason that we have repeatedly spoken out, and we will continue to speak out, that this fake opposition must be held accountable by the law at all costs. In the atmosphere of the Rule of Law, this opposition, the fake opposition, must be subjected to its deserved fate through special parliamentary elections sooner rather than later. 

That’s how it will find its rightful place in the dustbin of history, because this fake opposition, as long as it continues its activities in a relentless manner, will continue hijacking the birthright of the Armenian people and the Armenian nation, to build a Sovereign, Independent state with adequate self-defense capabilities, strong economy and prosperous yet powerful democracy. This birthright belongs to the entire Armenian people, the Armenian nation stationed all over the world. No one, no force has the ability or the mandate to take that right away from the Armenian nation. 

General Karekin Njdeh said that the worst Armenian is the ‘a la Turka’ Armenian. Had General Njdeh been alive today, he probably would have wanted to add to say “the worst type of Armenian is the Soviet/Bolshevik type of Armenian.” Why? Because it is the consequences of unpatriotic behavior that we are suffering as a nation. And we must eliminate these consequences at any cost. How? Through Armenian orientation. 

It is for this reason that I propose that those of us who are pro-government or those who are duped by the old regime kleptomaniacs not to insult one another during these turbulent times, because the day will come when many of us will be in the same patriotic movement in solidarity with sovereign and independent Armenia. Some of us may continue their love and respect for the Russian people, and the others for the West. There should be no issue. But at the end all of us should be guided by pro-Armenia patriotism. 

Sadly, no matter what we do, some propagandists will remain incorrigible “flying monkeys” of the old regime kleptomaniacs. They will show no appreciation for Armenian statehood. Recently Mr. Hayk Sukiasyan, the vice president of the Christian Democratic Party, made a very accurate comment. 

HAYK SUKIASYAN: Now how is it that he (Arch. Bagrat) is fighting for the state? This person does not know the borders of the state. That is why we must also understand that these theses are false, along with them, mainly the actors of Armenia’s Russian past, the actors of Armenia’s worst past, who gathered their last breath to go for “revanchism” against the Republic of Armenia. There is no question of power here. What they did is against the state. Our people, it turns out again, continue to be wise, they don’t give in to theses, which may sometimes be tempting, but in reality, are false and destroy the integrity of Armenia. They are left on their own, a very narrow segment, which, of course, is aggressive. but they lack the potential. They will wear out and clear the arena. Why? Because they have no purpose. They simply do as they are told. 

APPO JABARIAN: Mr. Sukiasyan is right. These people do not understand the value of statehood. What can we do in order to be ‘nice’ to the old regime kleptomaniacs? After consulting with many compatriots, we jointly formulated the following satirical ՛proposal’ consisted of eight points: 

[With a sense of dry comedy, Appo Jabarian read the ‘proposal’ addressing the 5ht column in Armenia.] 

1-You can keep what you have looted in the past thirty years without being punished. 

2- The Armenian nation is ready to entrust you yet again with all the power ministerial portfolios. 

3- The Armenian nation will hand over the power of the state yet again. 

4- If you decide to deprive the Republic of Armenia of its sovereignty and turn it into a Russian “gubernia”, that is a “periphery” or a region under Russian rule, or, in the worst case, you turn the Republic of Armenia into a Turkish-Ottoman ‘vilayet’ (province), the Armenian Nation will not resist. . The Armenian Nation will not punish you. 

5- If you decide to finally alienate the Diaspora by robbing and disenfranchising it, breaking the backbone of the Armenian statehood, the Armenian Nation will not resist. The Armenian Nation will not prosecute you 

6- If you decide to “Artsakhize” the Republic of Armenia, “saving” it as you “saved” Artsakh on Sept. 19, 2023, the Armenian Nation will not harass you. 

7- If you “unconditionally” support the Azerbaijani scheme to dissolve the OSCE “Minsk Group”, which is made up of three chairmanships: Russia, USA and France, the Armenian Nation will not come after you. 

8- If you “unconditionally” support the Soviet-Ottoman “Zangezur” corridor which will cut off the Republic of Armenia from Iran, we assure you that the Armenian Nation will not create a brigade named after General Karekin Njdeh and your personal peace and comfort will not be disturbed. 

Your political revanchism has just been placed on hold indefinitely. 

End of a political satire.