Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) partially lose their influence due to dismissal of high-ranking officials who do not fulfill the President’s instruction not to combine the civil service and scientific activities. This point of view Monday, November 28, in an interview with “Tape.ru” stated the political scientist, the Deputy Director of the National Institute of development of modern ideology Gleb Kuznetsov.
“The reputational damage [for RAS] great,” — said the expert. According to him, the leadership of the Academy will no longer be able “to use the title of academician of the corresponding members as a kind of administrative currency”.
The analyst notes that public servants could give academic degrees in exchange for any service, for example, open access archives or economic assistance. “Perhaps excommunication Federal officials from academic positions deprive [the President of] Vladimir Fortov of resources, and soon will a new attack for this academic privilege,” — said Kuznetsov.
Earlier on Monday it became known that President Vladimir Putin has released from posts of four senior officials from Upravdelami the President, the FSB, the defense Ministry and the interior Ministry. Official Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that they are dismissed in connection with their election to the Academy.
Later the Russian head of government Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed the Deputy Minister of education and science Alexey Lopatin, who was in the Academy.
23 Nov Putin has demanded from the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences to explain why the number of academicians and corresponding members included officials, contrary to the President’s instruction not to combine the civil service and scientific activities.