Epress.am News from Armenia
The anti-Armenian sentiment among the Turkish public are being used in Turkey’s domestic political intrigues, said Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan at a press conference today.
“The opposition party accuses the Turkish government of being too tolerant, connected with the liturgy in Aghtamar Island’s Holy Cross Church, and says, it seems like they intend to revive the Christian religion,” he explained.
Melkonyan also spoke on a proposal by chair of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahçeli, to pray namaz (or salat) in the Cathedral of Ani.
“Do you know what’s interesting? There are talks that Devlet Bahçeli is of Armenian descent; they say that his parents were Armenian, then they converted [to Islam]. What, Bahçeli has decided to go to his native temple to pray? A question arises: to which god is the nationalist leader going to appeal?” said Melkonyan.