Huge Funds Insufficient For Science Reputation, President States

ARKA
April 28, 2008

YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. Armenia will not be able to restore the
reputation of science by only increasing funding, RA President Serge
Sargsyan stated at the annual general meeting of the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences (ANAS) last Friday.

He pointed out that, to make progress, Armenia’s scientific sector
must be accepted and understood by foreign scientific communities.

"If the authorities try to bind scientists to themselves, they will
never have future. The Academy itself must seek the authorities
as the authorities must be concerned with scientific development,"
Sargsyan said.

The RA President pointed out that the Government will increase the
funding of science year by year.

"However, we must be sure that the funds will be effectively used
and that we do not play the role of a ministry of social security at
scientific establishments," Sargsyan said.

The president pointed out that the budgetary financing of Armenia’s
scientific sector has increased by nearly 18% this year.

The funding of the scientific sector has not decreased even by a cent
this year. On the contrary, continuous increase in funding is expected
simultaneously with reforms of the scientific sector, Sargsyan said.

The RA president pointed out that the Government managed to double
the bonuses for academic degrees and increase the average allocations
from the projecting financing fund by 50%.

"I assure you that we will constantly increase the funding of science.

However, to enable the Government to resolve the problems of science
and technology in the future, the Academy must modernize its system,"
Sargsyan said.

The President pointed out the necessity for supervision of scientific
programs to dispel pessimistic forecasts that increased funding will
not produce essential results.

A total of 6.8bln AMD has been budgeted for Armenia’s scientific
sector this year against 5.9bln AMD last year, which is attributed
to the increase in salaries and in funding of scientific projects.