Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The other day we learned that the Bishops’ Synod [of the Armenian Apostolic Church] postponed by the Catholicos of All Armenians [Karekin II] will take place in the Austrian city of Saint Polten on February 16-19.

This decision has put the [Armenian] authorities in a bad position. According to some information, they are looking for ways, trying to hinder the implementation of the synod, as it happened at the end of last year, when the Bishops’ Synod to be convened on December 10-12, which was supposed to discuss the situation and recent developments surrounding the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, more specifically, the matter of depriving the ten [bishop] apostates of their diocesan leadership, was postponed.

The Mother See [of Holy Etchmiadzin] announced that the Bishops’ Synod is being temporarily postponed due to repression [by the Armenian authorities]. We also had received information that pressure was exerted through the NSS [i.e. the National Security Service], even threatening the Catholicos that if the synod takes place, the diocesan primates who arrived in Armenia will no longer be able to return to their dioceses.

In those days, we wrote also that they had prevented the entry of the primate of the Georgian Armenian diocese into Armenia by sending him back [to Georgia] from [the] Bagratashen [border checkpoint].

Now new pressures have begun. Yesterday, [Armenian PM Nikol] Pashinyan’s council of [bishop] apostates called for the cancellation of the Bishops’ Synod. They are looking for ways to prevent the departure of clergy from Armenia [to attend this synod].