Rama interrupts financing of Albania's Academy of Sciences

Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has shut down “facto” The Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Albania, cutting off funding for 2018, while continuing to finance the Albanological Studies Centre as before.

The Albanian government chief has called the Academy of Sciences a kind of Soviet routine in Albania. According to Rama, the Academy of Sciences continues to be an institution on whose roof the Soviet flag continues to wave, writes today “Koha Ditore”.

On Monday in presenting the draft budget for next year, it has said this institution should undergo a reform that is not dictated by the government. Investments, according to him, will go towards scientific research in Universities. This year's ASH budget has been over 830 thousand euros.

We will not finance the Academy of Sciences. There's a big misunderstanding after it's been filed in the hava an accusation that we're giving way to albanology studies... No. That's not true. The Albanological Studies Centre will continue to finance as financed. Albanology studies will be directly backed by”, Prime Minister Edi Rama has declared.

The new elections for the chairmanship of the Albanian Academy of Sciences held in early September sparked a fierce public debate over the missing reform of the Academy of Sciences.

After news had been given that Gudar Beqiraj will run this scientific institution, Rama had said Ashesh would not receive funds from the government.

Gudar Beqiraj became chairman after a mandate as deputy head of this academy. While Myzafer Korcutti, who earlier held the post of AShsh chairman, was the only candidate for vice president and the vote produced a rocknade between Beqiright and Korcut.

After the public debate, just two days after the election, the number two of this academy, Myzafer Corcuti, had resigned the irrevocable.