YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Turkey’s former PM, former Speaker of Parliament Binali Yıldırım has extended condolences over the passing of Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan.

Mesrob II died March 8 at the age of 62 following many years of suffering from dementia. He was in a coma for more than 10 years.

“Turkey learned with pain about the death of Armenian Patriarch in Turkey Mesrob Mutafyan. I offer my condolences to all our citizens, especially his family members and the Armenian community,” Yildirim said on Twitter.

Yildirim resigned as Speaker of Parliament late February to run for the Istanbul mayorship.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan