In a broadcast hosted by Noyan Tapan from Yerevan, host Marie conducted an interview with historian Gagik Safaryan, President of the "Defender of the Homeland" National-Cultural Foundation. The broadcast addressed the escalation of harsh political rhetoric, the influence of former leaders and external powers, ongoing military reforms, and institutional tensions surrounding the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Political Rhetoric and the Parliamentary Arena
The discussion opened with controversial social media statements by official Alen Simonyan targeting opposition figures, alongside sharp counter-reactions from Levon Kocharyan and Narek Karapetyan.
Addressing the state of parliamentary rhetoric, Gagik Safaryan remarked that mutual insults continuously cross acceptable moral and logical boundaries:
"This mudslinging, mutual insults—which almost always cross the line of permissible morality and logic—have been repulsive and unacceptable to me for over six years."
Safaryan stated that lawmakers from the ruling Civil Contract party owe their political existence to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He noted that while Pashinyan often faces criticism, the Prime Minister has displayed patience and a calm tone toward the press and opposition groups. He added that any future successor aiming to combat corruption and strengthen statehood would likely be far less forgiving:
"In terms of tolerance, forgiveness, and generosity, Nikol Pashinyan's successor will be several times less yielding than Pashinyan himself."
Critique of Former Leaders and External Influence
Safaryan dismissed former presidents Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, and Levon Ter-Petrosyan as political figures of the past:
"For me, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, and Levon Ter-Petrosyan are a closed chapter... They are all political corpses together."
He asserted that major opposition factions within parliament operate under remote control directed by foreign political elites, specifically Russian imperial interests:
"These are not pro-Russian forces; I can clearly state that these are Russian forces."
Military Reforms and Institutional Changes
The interview highlighted recent appointments within the military infrastructure, including Major General Aram Hovhannisyan’s appointment as Chief of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense. Safaryan welcomed the move, emphasizing that systemic reform is required to eradicate criminal subculture within the armed forces:
"Criminal subculture, not only in the army but across the Republic of Armenia, must be eradicated at its roots."
Church-State Tensions and National Integration
Safaryan criticized senior figures in the Armenian Apostolic Church, claiming that high-ranking clergy have historically aligned with foreign interests and currently support anti-state elements. He argued that the church cannot exist above the law or outside constitutional oversight.
Concluding the program, Safaryan revealed that he accepted a government invitation to join a commission focused on addressing the socio-economic needs of forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh. He emphasized that fully integrating displaced populations into the Republic of Armenia is vital to prevent political factions from exploiting their hardships for revanchist agendas
