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“I’m convinved that first of all this is a political provocation by the opposition, at the threshold of the upcoming elections and aims at gaining votes. Second, this is a propaganda of strictly anti-Armenian moods, which again comes as a guarantee to gain votes,” Armenian Republican MP Gagik Melikyan told Panorama.am, commenting on the namaz planned for today in Ani Cathedral by Turkey’s opposition “National Movement” Party.

He said, eventually, this will have a boomerang effect, particularly in the viewpoint of the reactions to come from the international community, Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. “This impudent step of making namaz in a Christian territory first of all should receive adequate response from the UN and EU corresponding organizations,” the MP said.

This is a move backwards in terms of democracy for Turkey, Melikyan said, and Ankara has many times tried to prove that the country has implemented reforms and Turkey has become tolerant, while this comes to prove quite the opposite.

“This phenomenon is the logical continuation of panislamism ideology and it is manifested in the context of desecration of Christian values. It contradicts to international norms and principles. In this way Turkey tries to show its occupying policy, and this is the continuation of the same policy in the cultural, spiritual spheres,” he highlighted.