Bulgarian Science Academy's 'Feudal Grandpas' to Rescue Their Younger Colleagues

Academician Nikola Sabotinov announced that members of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are to provide financial support for young researchers. Photo by BGNES

The older members of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are to provide financial support for young researchers as an answer to the government's drastic budget cuts.

This was announced by Academician Nikola Sabotinov, Chairman of BAS.

"The feudal grandpas plan to organize financial funds to help Bulgaria's young scientists, who can not survive the government's harsh policy"

He referred to Bulgarian Financial Minister Simeon Djankov's notorious comments about the work of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Djankov declared in a media statement 2009 that the Academy is not dedicated to scientific discovery but is infested with feudal grandpas that "only sit around and wait for their salaries to be paid to them."

A total of 300 young scientist will be provided with an additional BGN 80 - 100 monthly, Academician Sabotinov clarified. The money will be taken out of the old Academy Professors' special pensions, which are up to BGN 2000.

As many as 180 scientists have left the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences just in the course of the last month, because of the drastic budget cuts, Sabotinov pointed out.

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is currently going through a severe financial struggle, which has resulted in a series of consecutive protests. During a recent rally, the protesting researchers threatened to shut down the Academy.

 

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