Science Academy against its destruction

TIRANA, Dec. 4 – The Academy of Sciences declared Tuesday they were against the government decision to dissolve it and distribute its responsibilities among separate institutions, saying that would leave many academicians and well-known personalities out of Albanian life.
At the same time, President Bamir Topi has yet to appoint one of his predecessors, Rexhep Meidani, as the new head of the academy.
Meidani was appointed in 1997 by the then-governing Socialist Party. After his term ended, he withdrew from political life and stays closer to academic circles.
He was chosen last month to head the academy, replacing Ylli Popa.
The government has decided to distribute the functions of the academy among many institutions, saying that the academy had turned into a useless bureaucratic operation.
The academicians have strongly denounced and opposed the government’s strategy, which is still expected to be approved by the parliament.
They say it discriminates against them by lowering the retirement age to 70, denying them the right to vote and take part in the Academy’s assemblies.
“That will leave out such personalities of the Academy such as Shaban Demiraj, Kristo Frash쳩, Ismail Kadare, Ylli Popa and Drit쳯 Agolli,” said a statement of the academicians.
They said academicians are given that title for life, unless they decide to leave it on their own free will. The opposition has also exploited the issue to say the Democratic Party government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha is trying to take over the Academy of Sciences and install its political control there, according to Ledi Shamku, a Socialist Party leader.(Tirana Times Staff)