YEREVAN, Armenia — Two months ago, thousands of Armenians took to the streets of Yerevan to join in anti-government demonstrations led by a most unlikely figure, an archbishop who channeled their fury at what seemed like the endless concessions being made to their country’s longtime foe, Azerbaijan, by their democratically elected prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan.
Bagrat Galstanyan, 53, has roots in neighboring Iran, which is home to a thriving population of Christian Armenians. But he also spent many years in Canada, where he served as the primate of the local diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The doe-eyed archbishop, whose rallying cry is “Armenian, Armenia, Homeland, God,” seemed on the cusp of posing the biggest threat to the government since it rose to power in the wake of the 2018 Velvet Revolution that was led by Pashinyan. In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor on the outskirts of Yerevan, Galstanyan blasted Pashinyan for capitulating to Azerbaijan and lying to the Armenian people as to his true plans.
Repeating his demands that Pashinyan step down, Galstanyan said he would lead a transitional government that would unite and reconcile a deeply divided nation and prosecute a “dignified” peace with Baku. His battle, he said, was of a “moral” character, one of “good” against “evil.”
