Paylan Discusses Government ‘Dragging Out’ Patriarch Elections in Parliament

ISTANBUL””Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish Parliament representing the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) demanded from his legislative colleagues an explanation for the government’s continued interference and delays in the election of the next Istanbul Patriarch.

In his remarks in parliament, Paylan said that he has written to Turkey’s Interior minister Süleyman Soylu, asking about the reasons for the Turkish government’s intervention in the elections of the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul.

“Armenian Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan has not been able to perform his duties for nine years because of illness. To start the process of election of a new Patriarch, clergymen of the Armenian Patriarchate elected Karekin Bekdjian as Locum Tenens,”