Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Wednesday that security forces successfully thwarted an alleged coup attempt led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a prominent opposition figure and leader of the Sacred Struggle movement.

In a Telegram post, Pashinyan accused the “criminal-oligarchic clergy” of plotting to destabilize Armenia and seize power unconstitutionally. According to Armenia’s investigative committee, Galstanyan had been orchestrating the plot since November 2024, allegedly acquiring tools for terrorist acts and power seizure. Security forces are conducting searches at the archbishop’s residence and the homes of approximately 30 of his associates.

Galstanyan, a vocal critic of Pashinyan, has accused the prime minister of mishandling Armenia’s 2023 military defeat in the Karabakh conflict, which resulted in the loss of the region to Azerbaijan. Last year, he led mass protests demanding Pashinyan’s resignation, though the effort failed to oust the government.

MP Garnik Danielyan, an ally of Galstanyan, denounced the government’s actions as dictatorial, calling the charges baseless and politically motivated.

The allegations come amid heightened tensions between Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church, a cornerstone of Armenian identity since the nation became the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century. Earlier this month, Pashinyan called for the removal of Catholicos Garegin II, the church’s spiritual leader, sparking a public feud that included controversial remarks about the Catholicos’s family and calls for Pashinyan’s excommunication.

The clash follows Armenia’s ongoing struggles after the Karabakh defeat, with Azerbaijan pressing for major concessions in peace talks. The deepening divide between the government and the church, which holds significant constitutional and cultural influence, poses a serious challenge to Armenia’s stability. (ILKHA)