Resolution of the Scientific Council of the Protein Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Resolution of the Scientific Council of the Protein Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the reform of state academies of sciences proposed by the Government of the Russian Federation

July 2, 2013
The Scientific Council of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science, the Protein Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on behalf of the staff of the Institute, expresses extreme concern and bewilderment regarding the hasty introduction by the Government of the Russian Federation of the draft law “On the Russian Academy of Sciences, the reorganization of state academies of sciences and amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation” to the State Duma RF.

This project is presented without prior discussion with those whom it directly concerns - research workers at state academies of sciences. The draft law assumes a radical restructuring of the research management system, without proposing any truly constructive innovations that would ensure the development and stimulation of research. The bill is proposed under the far-fetched pretexts of “ineffective property management” and “ineffective activities” of the Russian Academy of Sciences without a real justification and analysis of the position of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Russia and in the world. This project is a project of a crime that leads to an inevitable national catastrophe.

We do not deny the need for the development of the Russian Academy of Sciences in modern conditions, but the program for reforming the RAS should be determined in the course of a broad and democratic discussion by scientists together with interested authorities and business. The unexpected rush in reforming state academies of sciences is unacceptable, which will lead to the destruction of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an increase in the outflow of qualified personnel from Russian science and the complete loss of Russia's technological and scientific capacity.

We demand to stop the adoption of a bill that is destructive for Russian science and the state itself and restore the democratic process of discussing and making important government decisions.

Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Protein Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician L. P. Ovchinnikov