YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, arrived in Armenia on April 20. He visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Priest Vahram Melikyan, director of the information center of the Mother See, told Armenpress.

“His Holiness Aram I already arrived in Armenia and has several meetings, but not with the rally participants. Catholicos Aram I will meet with Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and President Armen Sarkissian”, he said.

Catholicos Aram I will leave Armenia today.

Before arriving in Armenia, he commented on the ongoing situation in Yerevan at the airport: “Armenia is concerned, we all as well are concerned. As Armenia’s strengthening and flourishing is the duty and pride of all of us, the grief and concern of our people is also ours, therefore we cannot remain indifferent to issues concerning our people”, His Holiness Aram I said at the airport before the visit to Armenia, stating that he is not indifferent towards the ongoing events in Yerevan.

Opposition protests began in the Armenian capital of Yerevan a week ago.

The rallies are led by opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, who has called on his supporters to launch civil disobedience.

The rallies began with a sit-in at France Square in downtown Yerevan, followed by sporadic marches in the city streets. The protesters even began blocking intersections and shutting down traffic. The situation escalated when the crowd of protesters and MP Pashinyan himself breached into the headquarters of Public Radio of Armenia, demanding airtime on April 14.

Then on April 16, protesters and riot police clashed in a brief incident on Baghramyan Avenue – one of the main city streets housing the parliament, Constitutional Court and the Prime Minister’s residence.  The Yerevan Police Department (YPD) has called on the opposition crowd to refrain from illegal actions and to maintain public order.

YPD said they are entitled to detain protesters who are violating public order and to cease the illegal rally, because the demonstrations are violating the rights of others and endangering public safety.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan