“TRIAL OF MORALE” OR CONTEST OF FORCES
Vahram Baghdasaryan
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
Last week it became known that the deputy mayor of Yerevan Arman
Sahakyan resigned to run in the election of head of the community
of Ajapniak. The son of RepubLican Galust Sahakyan announced that it
will not be difficult to win the election. What could this mean? And
generally, what does this bid of “papa’s boy” mean?
It is clear what it means for junior Sahakyan. It is more interesting
what it may mean for the country. In 2003 Arman Sahakyan Was nominated
head of the councul. But at that time everything end up badly for his
fathEr Galust, who comPlained loudly that the government used illegal
methods against him. At that time it was interesting to listen to
the brother-in-arms of the Armenian prime minister, who failed to
explain who this government was.
Of course, nobody needed his explanation because everyone in Armenia
knows that he was “overtaken” by Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepyan,
with the support of Robert Kocharyan, of course. And Galust Sahakyan
could not confess publicly that with such a government overhead he
was not the representative of the government but rather a member of
parliament, attached to the government.
Newly-made Republican, still defense minister Serge Sargsyan
tenaciously instills in the Republicans that with his membership the
Repubican Party acquired real power. Young Arman liked it so much that
decided to take his tit bit, the post of the head of the community,
which was taken away from him by “bad uncles”. And “Uncle Serge”
will help by all means.
But this is young Arman, what can we do? Whereas, other more
experienced Republicans apparently are not happy about the epopee
of Galust Sahakyan’s son. They even say that Sahakyan’s decision to
resign was not discussed by the council of the Republican Party; it
was a decision made by a narrow circle, and the others are dissatisfied
with it.
Hence, a question occurs who needed it and why. For they should
have learned a lesson from the former election of the head of the
community of Ajapniak. What if suddenly the “government” again blocks
the way of this project? For at that time it will become clear that
the Republican Party, which is constantly trumpeting its almightiness,
is to blame for the defeat. There is no need to stake the honor of the
“superparty” on the eve of the parliamentary election.
It seems difficult to answer this question. In fact, everything
can be explained by a premonition. The fortnight preceding the
extraordinary conference of the Republican Party gave rise to doubts
among most Republicans in the almightiness of Serge Sargsyan and his
new personnel. Many Republicans witnessed a great number of facts in
a rather short period, which show that Serge Sargsyan’s pledges are
“bluffling”. Moreover, undeniable thoughts occurred that Serge and
Robert Kocharyan are manipulating the Republican Party and turning
it into a marginal political party. Gagik Tsarukyan’s “spirit” is
threatening the Republicans more and more.
Is there anything else to do? Hence, the old and wise leaders of
the Republican decided to corner everyone. If Serge Sargsyan is so
courageous, let him make Galust Sahakyan’s son head of the community
in such a “difficult area”. Thereby he will display how courageous
and devoted Serge Sargsyan is. It appears that the old Republicans
have thought it out; how will the “almighty” defense minister get away.
In fact, he cannot get away. Serge Sargsyan will have to persuade
President Kocharyan to “place” this place in his disposition to
live up to the expectations of Galust Sahakyan. At the same time,
they have again started whispering in the corners and confidential
circles who the real head of the country is, and who solves all the
problems instead of the president.
The problem is that Robert Kocharyan may not help, although Serge is
his brother-in-arms. Aghvan Hovsepyan and especially Gagik Tsarukyan
may not like the permissiveness towards Republicans in Ajapniak,
especially on the eve of the parliamentary election. But there is
no problem here either. The leadership of the Republican Party will
make Serge Sargsyan “force” Robert Kocharyan to go away together with
Aghvan Hovsepyan. There is no other way. They say he has everything
under control, therefore he must display it beforehand, not to allow
the Republicans foresee his own fate during the election.
All this is true. Only one thing is unclear and difficult to explain
why they need to take such a risk and try the patience of Robert
Kocharyan, even if he has decided to retire in 2008. For there are
more than one ways to retire. He can retire as a “frightened duck” or
he can retire showing them a thing or two. There is one explanation:
nobody can make head or tail of it without such attempts. Moreover,
nobody can tell who the real government of Armenia is. And with such
a mood everyone may quickly run away.
In 2007 Galust Sahakyan will not be able to repeat that the government
used illegal methods against him. It would look like an imitation. An
imitation for not only his friends but also the entire country who
are bored by the petty preferences of the “supers”.

THE STATE OF THE MEDIA ACCORDING TO THE OSCE OFFICIAL
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
Armenia made considerable progress in improving the legislation on
the media, runs the report of Miklos Haraszti, OSCE Representative
on Freedom of the Media, reports the news agency ARKA. Haraszti’s
report is based on his visit to Armenia several months ago. Haraszti
says democratization of the media in Armenia is underway, however
the sphere of broadcasting must reflect political and social pluralism.
He thinks that the state of the media in Armenia needs improvement.
The OSCE representative thinks that pluralism is found only in the
press, which has a small circulation.
The lack of pluralism in television is a highly serious problem,
Miklos Haraszti thinks, because the mass media do not give objective
information to the public. The OSCE representative mentioned in
the report that the cases of violence against news reporters are
not many. He also emphasizes that for the past few years no actions
were brought against the media for libel. Haraszti also notices that
despite the adoption of the law on freedom of information, for news
reporters information often remains unaccessible because the law is
not applied duly.

STATISTICS OF ALL-ARMENIAN ADMITTANCE EXAMS
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
On August 8, with still 8 days to go until the end of admittance exams,
the Republic Admittance Commission published statistics of the first
20 days of admittance exams in 2006. The facts were presented by
the secretary of the commission Sasun Melikyan and the head of the
Calculation Center Ruben Topchyan.
The statistics is ordinary. The secretary and the “chief accountant”
to put it so, say the statistics is normal compared with the previous
years. 25 625 exams were held from July 20 to August 7, 23 509
applicants showed up. Compared with the past 6-7 years, 8 percent
absentees is a normal index, Ruben Topchyan says. He says mainly
applicants from rural areas do not attend the exams because at the
last moment they feel that they are not ready and want to work for
some more days. Ruben Topchyan says he has statistical data, which
support his words and will gladly provide it to everyone who doubts
that the absentees are mainly from rural areas. And the doubters are
mainly news reporters who were the first to hear Topchyan’s observation
about the rural origin of absentees.
Before and maybe afterwards too most news reporters, as well as
the majority of the public believe that mainly those applicants do
not show up who are going to enter the university by the biographic
achievements of their parents rather than their knowledge. They do not
show up at the exams in the beginning and wait until the picture of
the competition becomes more or less clear and it is easier to state
how many points they need for the first places in the competition or
scholarship. They use different methods, including health problems
and lost documents.
Sasun Melikyan, the secretary of the Republic Admittance Commission
says on the first 20 days the exams of 43 applicants were postponed
for help problems, and almost this much for lost documents. There
were 56 cases of being late for the exams. Sasun Melikyan says he
does not think that the exams postponed for health problems have not
been taken yet, because the exam must be taken within 5 days after
recovery. But it is possible that the applicant has not recovered
yet or will just start recovering.
6501 applicantsa got high marks, 18-20, from 25 625 exams. The better
reasults in English and Armenian remain, compared with the previous
years. The results are lower in mathematics, physics and the Armenian
history. Nobody got 20 points in chemistry, biology, Armenian history,
general history, geography, oral French, oran Russian and Italian,
compositions.
Ruben Topchyan says there were 1046 appeals as of August 8. In 263
cases the marks were increased, including 123 cases when the results
were 18-20 points. In two appeals the marks were inreased by 6-8
points. The mark of one test were decreased. Ruben Topchyan says last
year there were more cases when the marks of tests were made lower.
There were 95 second appeals, the marks remained the same for 75 cases,
in four tests the results were made lower by 0.5-1 point, the mark was
increased by 0.5-1 point in 16 tests. Sasun Melikyan says this year the
cases of second appeal went down 3 times. Nevertheless, accepting the
explanation of Sasun Melikyan, it should not be excluded either that
the experience of the previous years showed it is no use appealing.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN RESERVOIR TO BE BUILT
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
Armenia is planning to build a reservoir together with Turkey in
the place where the rivers Araxes and Akhuryan join, announced Yury
Javadyan during the conference on the problems of use and preservation
of water resources of the rivers Araxes and Kura, reports the news
agency ARKA.
Yury Javadyan also announced that the reservoir will have a complex
purpose, namely water power generation, prevention of floods, dams.
Every years floods damage 500 hectares of farming land, and Armenia
spends an annual 1 million dollars on reconstruction, and “the
construction of the reservoir will essentially reduce the danger
of floods.”
An annual 3.45 billion cu m of water flows via the part of the Arxes
river where the Turkish-Armenian border passes. And Armenia and Turkey
have experience in cooperation in this sphere, from Soviet years,
of course. The 525 million cu m reservoir on the Akhuryan river has
operated since the 1980s.

SIGNS OF REASON FROM CENTURIES
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
Most probably, the dispute over the historical mission of Armenians
emerged earlier than the Armenians. Although it is highly disputable
whether the Armenians emerged at all. It is possible that they are
just forming although the scientists might know better, maybe also
the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who have often come in
touch with the Armenians in different historical periods. Perhaps
nobody knows the answer to this question. And it is interesting that
nobody seeks for the answer. Everyone is interested in the historical
mission of the nation rather than its being or not being. But it is
already good if there is at least one thing connected with the nation
that interests some people.
However, it is bad that some people decide to fulfill this mission
without knowing what the historical mission of the nation is and
without having the answer to this question. This is not terrible but
when these “apostles” set out, the ending is always the same.
And what happens always? Extreme. Some people think the purpose of the
nation is revenge and a sea of blood, others think that the misison
of the nation is to act as the dove of peace and solidarity in the
South Caucasus. Moreover, it is a rather new mission, the so-called
“revelation of our days” versus the “vision of blood”. That mission
did not justify itself, and it seems there is no hope that it will do,
and now we are assuming the new mission of a peacekeeper, hoping that
it will justify itself.
The image of a peacekeeper has not been more effective than the
bayonets. And now the Armenians are going through transition from
bayonets to headscarves used so far by Muslim women, who throw their
headscarves between fighters to reconcile them. I did not recall
the Muslim women accidentally because the example of one of them
prompted me to write about the mission of our nation. Several days
ago Arzu Abdullayeva, the representative of Helsinki Civil Assembly
of Azerbaijan was invited to Armenia and Karabakh. It is clear
that the invitation is in the framework of European peace loving,
which is often expressed in grant programs. Armenia and Karabakh
was opened before Abdullayeva. They even took her to the prison of
Shushi to prove that there are no Azerbaijani prisoners there. As if
Abdullayeva would go to Baku and declare jihad to release hostages
if she did not become convinced that there are no hostages in the
prison of Shushi. As if in Baku they were waiting for her appeal to
become convinced and capture the prison of Shushi. In other words, we
narrowly escaped the Azerbaijani tornado, when they took Abdullayeva
to the prison of Shushi. Well, she became convinced that there are
no prisoners, she went to Baku and announced that she had never seen
worse conditions than in the prison of Shushi.
It is possible that Abdullayeva made a correct observation, maybe
the worst conditions in the world are in the prison of Shushi. But at
least this should make Armenians not to take Abdullayeva to Shushi and
show her around the prison. They should have thought before taking her
to the prison that if an Armenian defender of human rights wished to
visit a similar place in Azerbaijan, he or she would never come back,
they would not even show this place to him or her on the map. Whereas
we open everything, let them come and see and go and tell whatever
they want. It is important that Europe can see how open we are,
how very open. And Europe likes open things, no matter what.
The same was with the Azerbaijani news reporter invited to Armenia
several weeks ago, when he came and stayed in Armenia for several
days. Certain representatives of the public sector shed peace-loving
feelings, whereas he went back to Azerbaijan and mocked at the week
spent in Armenia.
The Azerbaijanis visiting Armenia and Karabakh do not do anything
condemnable. They do not come here to make up with us; they come to
study us and when they get back home, they tell what they and their
public need, to convince that they are better than Armenia. In other
words, in Azerbaijan they do not think about the historical mission,
they think what mission they have now. And now they have a common
mission – to discredit the Armenians and Armenia. They do not care for
Europe. Maybe because they have oil and they do not care if Europe
likes it open or closed. It is also possible that the Azerbaijanis
are not suffering from the syndrome of peace loving because they
have never suffered from this disease. Maybe everything is ahead for
them. But we are concerned about our problem. By the way, by saying our
problem we must imply the same nation they think about day and night
and is opened to the world to come and see and compare. It would be
too good if they appreciated. They do not do, they go and say that it
is the worst. Of course, it is not. And we can see when some people
made money by shouting revenge and calling for struggle for decades,
and now others have realized that money is in eternal love. However,
it should not be forgotten that love for money, even if it is eternal
love, is given another name.
Of course, this does not mean that Armenia should go in for militarism
and lock its doors. No, absolutely no, as one of our presidents
would say. But not every door can be opened. How about national
traditions? But you cannot live on the tradition, and Europe does not
give much importance to traditions. In this case, it would be good
if it were possible to stop somewhere, in the middle of the passage,
when we would be rather far from bayonets and the headscarves. But
the Armenians have never managed to stop in the right place and time
to manage this time.
The nation is going ahead, but it does not know where it is going
to stop.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT POLITICAL POLES WILL BECOME MORE
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
Nothing will change in the political sphere after the conference of the
Republican, think 50 percent of readers who voted in the poll of the
Lragir.am. Within two weeks that followed the extraordinary conference
of the Republican Party we asked our readers what the conference
would change in the political life of Armenia. 50 percent think that
nothing will change, 31 percent think that the home political tension
will increase, and 19 percent think that the “political poles will
become more”.
From: Baghdasarian

CAESAR’S FROM CAESAR, HOW ABOUT GOD’S?
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
The Armenians did not stand up for the Catholicos when he was not
received kindly in Turkey. Instead, the Russian president Vladimir
Putin bolstered up his morale. The bolstering up was expressed in
a definite medal, the medal of friendship. Garegin II received the
medal from the president of Russia with a definite explanation,
“significant contribution to the Russian-Armenian friendship”. It
should be taken into account that Putin does not distribute medals
for nothing. After all, it is not a small contribution to keep silent
about the killings of Armenians in Russia, thereby protecting the
Russian-Armenian friendship from doubts. The parish of Armenian
Christians shrinks, but not only the congregation but also the word
of Russia is important for the church.
And the word did not wait long. Consequently, it is natural that not
the Christian Armenians bolstered up the morale of the Cathicos after
the disgrace in Turkey but the Russians, moreover, the emperor. Well,
the Caesar’s from the Caesar, how about God’s?
To learn the answer to this question it is important to find out
what God is. The church defines every such effort made by not only
Armenians as heresy, denial, profane. Thereby the church seems to
defend the belief. But perhaps the real purpose is to guarantee their
own protection. As soon as a man recognizes God, he will see that
the church, including the Armenian church has nothing to do with God.
Especially the Armenian church which deserves awards not only for
international friendship but also for its great contribution to the
criminal brotherhood. Now perhaps nobody will be surprised to hear
that the Armenian priests participate in and even bless the roundups
and parties of local and foreign criminal authorities. Perhaps also
few people will get surprised on listening that the Catholicos of
All Armenians knows and encourages what the priests are doing. Very
few people will get surprised because the Holy See gives a very weak
and rare reaction to innumerable publications in the media about
these facts. And it arouses dissatisfaction among the followers of
the church, who can see that that at midday the priest baptizes an
innocent baby or marries a couple after having blessed a gathering
of criminals at midnight.
Consequently, this is the reason why the honor of the Catholicos
hardly worried 1700 representatives of the 1700-years-old Christian
nation. And the rest are worried about the fate of the Apostolic
Church, which receives and gives medals, having nothing to do with
believers, and it is not clear who they are related with.

THE FILES WILL DO THEIR JOB
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
The deal Property for Debt, which is so successfully slowing down,
has given rise to a rather serious process within the government of
Russia. The Lragir has written a number of times about this topic,
which is having new developments. The opinion is increasingly becoming
dominant in the Russian government that this deal, which first seemed
to be profitable for Russia, was but cheating.
Naturally, Russia considers itself to have been cheated in the sense
that these enterprises were assessed higher that their real value is,
and their physical and moral state requires more efforts than it had
been thought.
Our source from the Kremlin says the Russian government has accumulated
considerable materials about the deal of property for debt, which was
managed by the Armenian minister of defense Serge Sargsyan and the
former vice prime minister of Russia Klebanov. Our source informs that
these materials provide sufficient ground for serious conclusions on
machinations and misuse. The Kremlin does not hurry to publish these
materials. We have learned that these materials will be published on
an expedient political occasion, connected with the campaign of the
Armenian parliamentary election.

WHAT WILL SERGE SARGSYAN DO?
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
The analytical group Electoral Systems dwelled on the situation
connected with the election of the head of the community of Ajapniak,
Yerevan in October and presented its forecast.
“Exclusive.am”: Arman Sahakyan is again nominated head of the community
of Ajapniak. The local elections, which seem to be quite ordinary at
first sight, are a serious trial for the Republican Party and Serge
Sargsyan. First Arman Sahakyan’s victory would strengthen Andranik
Margaryan’s team in the Republican Party. We have already mentioned
that dual power has occurred in the Republican Party. Besides, after
the previous election of the head of the community of Ajapniak Serge
Sargsyan, who supported the incumbent candidate Artsrun Khachatryan
in the previous election, will face a dilemma. By winning the
election in Ajapniak without Serge Sargsyan’s support the “old”
wing of the Republican Party would display that the Republican
Party makes decisions without Serge Sargsyan. At the same time,
the “old” Republicans must keep the actions of Serge Sargsyan under
“surveillance” (as formerly pro-Artsrun Khachatryan). Most probably,
Serge Sargsyan will informally become the head of the electoral
headquarters of Arman Sahakyan. Thereby he will reinforce the basis
of his leadership in the Republican Party. At the same time, this
means that for the sake of his problems inside the political party
he will sacrifice the position of his non-partisan supporters, namely
Artsrun Khachatryan.
Electoral Systems Analytical Group

REPAINT TODAY IS LIKE BEATING A DEAD HORSE
Harutyun Karapetyan
Chairman of the National Foundation of Science and Advanced Technologies (NFSAT)
Lragir.am
9 Aug 06
As is well known, science is one of the spheres of human
creativeness. That accounts for its nature, which is common to all
mankind, along with such spheres as music, painting, poetry and
suchlike. However, due to a certain peculiarity, science completely
differs from art, which in the long run brings it down to earth from
the heavenly spiritual and moral heights. The peculiarity is that most
often the outcomes of science are eventually materialized and serve
as a basis for technological progress, which, in its turn, directly
tells on economy. Yet, paradoxical as it may be, it is no secret
that most often progress in our civilization took place (and in fact
it still does) by means of a tool for civilization extermination –
weapon. Therefore, on the one hand, science serves to promote human
welfare, on the other hand, it is a powerful tool for destruction of
one’s own kind (again, the object-materialized components of science
– the human and antihuman ones). Unfortunately, it is the antihuman
component that prevails in determining the increasing demand for
science. It ibecomes more than apparent in the contemporary politicized
world (capitalism, communism, fascism, cold war, monopole world,
terrorism etc). Naturally, difference in the political regime, the
ambitions and potential of the state and its blocks, will also tell on
different attitudes to science. Hence, the requirements and functions
imposed on science will determine different forms of regulation and
management of this sphere of human creativeness.
We, today’s independent Armenia, moreover, today’s’ science (along
with the general scientific community) are the product of the former
powerful totalitarian system. A system, where the human component
of science was, in fact, reduced to minimum and the management of
science was strictly governmental. After all, the USSR could have
had various “unions” of researchers similar to those of composers
or artists. However, the sphere of science and technology in the
USSR was under much more stringent and varied control than other
spheres of human activity, and all possible social and voluntary
formations of researchers were replaced with a single (actually,
again – governmental) body, which was the USSR Academy of Sciences
(including the Academies of the Soviet republics administered by the
Center). Economically, it may seem strange that the Soviet science
comprised three independent subsystems – academic, industrial and
subsystem of the institutes of higher education. Yet, this fact is also
accounted for by the need of maintaining strict confidentiality for
the objectives of certain investigations. Thus, the Soviet science
(including the “Armenian” component) served the goals and methods
of the management of the Soviet government – a superpower, often
denying the human and sensible aspects, which quite adequately met
the criteria of a close regime, aspiring for world supremacy.
Not to belittle the merit of Soviet science, yet, one cannot but admit
the following indisputable fact: such a form of science management
eventually resulted in an increasing substantial lag of the Soviet
science as compared to the international one, which, in the long run,
had a disastrous impact on the economy of the collapsed superpower.
However, it cant’ be argued that today’s independent Armenia
inherited quite a considerable scientific potential from the USSR,
and the issues of maintaining and developing this potential are no
longer to be addressed by a former or contemporary superpower but
rather by our young independent state. For Armenia, a country with
scarce natural resources, facing a number of rather complicated
regional problems, “high-level” science can serve as one of the
few factors, owing to which it will still be possible to ensure a
proper prestige of the country in the international community and
occupy a decent niche in the region. Certainly, it is only possible
provided that the governmental and legislative authorities take
adequate steps to address the challenges piled up in the sphere of
science and respective problems they involve, which display dangerous
tendencies. The problems are so obvious and deeply rooted that a delay
may cause destruction of Armenian science, which has still survived –
unfortunately, owing to certain researchers and not the methods of
the state management. Obviously, science and the scientific community
need changes that could already be reflected in the state budget of
the country for 2007.
Here are, I believe, the following main problems of the scientific
community, solutions to which may potentially lead to if not a
revival, but at least to finding a way out of the existing deadlock
(or, rather, a swamp):
1. Science management problem which includes such important
issues as integration of the Armenian scientific community with the
international one, commercialization of scientific results, development
of technological base of science, and, finally, generation change.
2. Funding and mechanisms of science funding.
No doubt, the highest priority issue is the legislation on scientific
activities, which could regulate all problems mentioned above, of
course, provided that the legislation meets the interests of science
and not those of respective departments. In this regard, obviously,
the most rational thing to do would be to terminate the force of the
so called “Law on Science and Scientific-Technological Activities”
adopted in 2000. It is no secret that this act put an end to the
process of the deliberate destruction of progressive reforms, which
were held in the period of 1992-1997 and were highly evaluated- and
in fact, they still are – by independent experts (not to mention the
Armenian researchers). It was absolutely obvious for everyone more or
less involved in science that it was not “science” itself that the law
actually focused on, but rather the status of the National Academy
of Sciences (please, note, that it does not refer to the academic
institutes but the Presidium itself), which enjoyed the rights of a
state authority, performing allocation of the state budget funds of
the tax-payers allotted for science and assuming no responsibility
even before the government of the country.
This accounts for the fact that immediately after the law had passed,
both the government and the initiators of the bill successfully
disregarded the only positive provision of the law stipulating
for 3% of state budget to be allotted for science, which, however,
still remained a dream. This law helped to achieve the main goal –
rejecting the progressive reforms that reflect the further interests
of science. The process of disregarding the reforms was initiated
as early as 1997 by the high-level authorities of the Ministry
of Education and Science, namely, the former Deputy Minister of
Science, and currently, Academician-Secretary of the NAS RA, twice
Dr. of Science, A. Shahinyan – certainly, with approval of the
former Minister of Education and Science, Candidate of Physical and
Mathematical Sciences, A. Petrosyan. It is but natural that it didn’t
take long for corruption to develop.
The Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences became a “State in
a state” with evident soviet features, and the state budget funds
were used in the interests of a group of people – members of the
Academy, who could affect (often, purely theoretically) the internal
regulations of the “state”. Compare the scholarship received by
post-graduate students for the work they perform with considerable
academic premiums for no work (or, more precisely, for idleness). For
instance, it is of great interest to know the amount of premiums for
the former accomplishments provided to our outstanding composers,
artists etc. The Presidium became a typical soviet phenomenon,
which is even proven by the fact that alternative thinking is still
publicly defamed (obviously implying mental disorders) and after mass
criticism of the existing disadvantages the whole blame is laid on
a single person, which is certainly not fair.
To bring more clarity in the role of the NAS RA Presidium in the
contemporary Armenian science, it is necessary to add the following
example: the administration of Yerevan State University (YSU Rector,
Academician R. Martirosyan) repeatedly stated that 40% of competitive
scientific results of Armenia, which met international standards,
are provided by the YSU. Actually, it is hard to seriously object to
this statement. But on the other hand, given the scientific product
also provided by such major entities as Yerevan Institute of Physics,
Institute of Biotechnology, SEUA, SMUA etc, what else is left for the
academic system comprising 40 entities and Presidium, which openly
and officially condemns the international standard in investigations
of basic sciences. Obviously, that leads to more serious questions,
namely – what is the actual role of Presidium in terms of scientific
product, and what does the academic science basically stand for today?
By the way, the fact that the “science” at the NAS Presidium stands
for something else can be easily proven simply by reviewing the
section of science in the state budget of the country for 2006,
which resembles a mirror of the state policy in the sphere of
science. This section of science makes it hard make out what is what,
and tell science from pseudo-scientific sinecures. Apparently, that
even includes administrative expenses of government bodies. It is
possible to inquire about that from the NAS Presidium, since according
to the Law on Science and Scientific -Technological Activities, The
Academy of Sciences (meaning Presidium), is the official consultant
of the Armenian Government, and the President of the NAS RA enjoys
a minister’s status. The population of the country does not know how
many and how precious and scientifically justified recommendations have
been provided by the NAS Presidium to the Government of the Republic,
but the state budget of science is definitely his sacred duty. And the
fact that the government has legally imposed such high confidence on
the Presidium and the President of the NAS RA certainly indicates the
authorities’ recognition of the very important role of science. By the
way, this fact became an object of envy on the part of representatives
of other spheres of creative activities of our republic, and the poor
state of science is attributed to the lack of talent of our scientists.
Today Presidium is still “out of the law”. For instance, on the
one hand, it enjoys the rights of a state authority (state budget
funds allocation), on the other hand, it does not comply with
the age requirements for state officials. Given the fact that our
“national pride” – the NAS RA Presidium – cannot comply with this
law even theoretically, the National Assembly will apparently have
to resort to one of the two most probable options: either revise the
age requirement, or deprive the NAS Presidium of the opportunity of
allocating state funds of tax payers. Of course, it is only possible
if our government really strives for integrating into various
international structures respecting the rule of law and is ready to
get rid of the third possible option – living with no respect for law
and showing no compliance with it. Providing that the third option
is left out, our government will have to solve the said challenge
and find ways for successful regulation of science management.
Before considering all problems mentioned above, it should be stated
that besides being far from a superpower, Armenia is also a country
with less than perfect financial opportunities, therefore, we should
adeqately evaluate our abilities and the reality we are living in. In
order to develop the remaining scietific potenital inherited from
the previous system, we should use each penny in the most efficient
and appropriate way.
Science Management Issue: Management of the Armenian science should
be based on the current reality of the independent Armenia and
the functions imposed on this sphere. After the Law on Science
and Scientific-Technological Activity passed, there have been two
governmental bodies actually engaged in science management – the
Ministry of Education and NAS Presidium. The Ministry of Education
and Science, at that time headed by Academician E. Kazaryan, partly
delegated its authorities of science management to NAS RA almost
having no serious obstacles – although Deputy Minister A. Avetisyan
had publicly opposed that decision.
It is no use trying to analyze the reasons but there is one actual
circumstance which is impossible to leave out of account today:
the entrance examinations for institutes of higher education, their
significance in the life of our republic and the responsibility of
the Ministry of Science and Education for organizing and holding
the examinations. It goes without saying that higher education
and science are not only closely interconnected but also mutually
complementary, therefore, they should be considered as a whole. As
long as entrance examinations in our republic have the social and
even political significance as they do today, science administered
by the same ministry will never become a high priority issue. Hence,
it is of great imprtance and expedience that science management
in a country like Armenia should be carried out by an indpenednet
state authority. Taking into account the circumstances existing
in the scientific community itself as well as around it, I suggest
establishing a governmental body in the form of an independent agency,
the principal task of which will be development and implementation
of policy to be applied in the sphere of science.
Namely, I mean allocation of the state budget funds, quality and
prestige of science, (review and Higher Attestational Committee),
the correlation of science and economy under current conditions (the
so-called start companies), integration of Armenian science into
international scientific community (as the best method of Armenian
science development), establishment of up-to-date infrastructure
(scientific facilities, data bases), etc. Apparently, establishment
of such an independent infrastructure will be justified economically,
too, since it will relieve the main personnel of various ministries
and departments focusing on the narrow scope of science-related
issues. There is no need to look for similar form of management, all
we have to do is review the very Armenian management experience in
the period of reforms held by the Ministry of Science and Education
in 1997. The fact that the reforms carried out in 1992-1997 were
progressive and served solely the interests of Armenian science is
indirectly proven by the opinions of a number of independent competent
experts and committees (for example, the U.S. Committee of National
Research), from whom the results for that particular period had been
continuously concealed by our officials of science. This proves the
fact that our science officials have perfect understanding of the
reality, which they intentionally distort. While they may not find it
beneficial for themselves, it might cause the resentment of others,
so one thing should be recalled: during the reform period, i.e, in
1992-1997 when the financial resources available were incomparably
less, apart from the so-called “thematic funding” to be described
below the following steps were also taken: a) the scientific community
received the first opportunity of internet access (jointly with
“Hayastan” pan-Armenian foundation); b) the scientific community
received access to scientific literature (this action somewhat revived
the principal libraries as well); c) data bases of major scientific
equipment, scientific entities and researchers were created, which
could be successfully used both for efficient science management,
as well as for wider integration of the Armenian science with the
international community; d) additional target funds were allotted for
transportation expenses of scientific entities located outside Yerevan;
e) power supply was provided to some institutes. f) additional target
funds were allotted for acquisition of fodder for laboratory animals;
g) funding was provided for international scientific contacts,
in particular, for participation in international conferences
and travels; h) apart from research competitions, 4 additional
competitions were also announced as early as 1996 for materials
and facilities acquisition, as well as arrangement of scientific
expeditions and conferences. Moreover, given the fact that in 1996
the average salary of researchers was 9 000 AMD, which at that time
was more than a deputy minister’s salary, and that special funding
was allotted for international cooperation, also, taking into account
the special fund for young researchers, provided by the state budget
of science in 1997 and the fact that corruption and protectionism
phenomena in science were out of the question, it is now possible
to fully understand all the ‘justification” of the statements on
destructive nature of the reforms held in Armenia in 1992-1997.
Funding and Mechanisms of Science Funding: No doubt, the funding
provided for science is very scarce. In 2006 the state budget
officially allocated $12-$13 mln. for approximately 6000 researchers
(I believe, the actual figure is close to 40000). Even considering
4000 researchers, with $3000 for each researcher per year, the
allotted funding is rather scanty, especially under the existing
conditions in Armenia – lack of infrastructure, outdated facilities,
lack of chemicals and materials etc. Of course, the situation becomes
easier with the help of awards provided by international foundations
and charitable organizations of Diaspora, which proves the benefit
of integartion into the international scientific community including
Diaspora. But opportunities offered by international grants cannot be
provided to everybody, they are available only for those who are the
best (unfortunately, this is the way it is practiced there, but the
Russians are reluctant to pay).
For instance, our scholars do not actually use this opportunity,
while they own the monopoly of such important part of Orientalism
as Armenian Studies. Besides, it is no secret that Diaspora is more
enthusiastic about supporting cultural researches in Armenian Studies.
Thus, $3000 for each researcher per year is apparently insufficient
for serious, large-scale and competitive science. On the other hand,
the efficiency of use of all these means at all levels is very low –
what should be done is investigating the section of science in the
state budget and try to make out what it’s all about (or who it’s all
about). Nevertheless, requesting 3% for science is not realistic and
it is quite obvious that such finding is also going to be absolutely
insufficient and irretrievable (even in terms of fundamental sciences)
unless the efficiency of the invested funds is increased. A more
realistic approach could be achieved by adding 1 billion AMD in
the budget for year 2007 ($2-3 mln) and regulating expenses for
science. And it is possible to ensure higher efficiency of the
invested means by funding in the first place competitive scientific
result instead of personal relationships, titles and suchlike. This
accomplishment used to be achieved in Armenia during the period of
1992-1997 reforms by means of the so-called thematic or competitive
funding. A lot has been said about the nature of thematic (competitive
or addressed) funding and it is no use trying to prove obvious facts,
which make it absolutely clear that if we want to fund and have proper
science, we should then fund proper results and everything that is
needed for achieving this proper result regardless of who this result
is ensured by – our relative, favorite, or enemy. Besides, every penny
spent for the sake of science should be properly justified in terms
of competitiveness of each scientific result, which means answering
the following question: what are our expectations and at what cost?