Interview

Science is not the Sphere Where Savings are Justified.

In Electoral Constituency No 10 including Kentron community partially and Nork-Marash community completely, the representatives of scientific spheres have put questions to Saribek Sukiasyan, a MP majoritarian nominated candidate with the purpose to find out what are the ways the MP candidate figures out for solution of problems of science, for creating favorable environment for progress, so that the scientific idea could serve for the harmonious and all-round development of the country.

Mr. Sukiasyan, do you consider  the current  financing of science  by the government sufficient ? Is this the possible maximum?, If no, what variant would you suggest to enhance the financing?

The minimum threshold of financing of science, in my opinion  should be at least  1% of GDP, i.e. four times more than now. Now it is 0.25%. This is a national security problem, because under these conditions one can see  elimination of  applied science, aging of  scientists. The situation can be corrected only by drastic intervention of the state. This is not the area where savings can be justified.

According to your  opinion should the science  be the monopoly of the state or  is it  possible to involve private sector?

It is desirable that parallel to providing the said threshold of  financing    the state should discuss  the problem with of the private sector representatives and give warranties that the private sector investment will be protected in accordance with appropriate legislation field.

In this case the private sector will be interested to make investments in the sphere of science.

What will you do personally in the parliament for the benefit of science?

All scientific programs submitted for financing, must undergo examinations by local and international experts. I consider the adoption of Law on Scientific Examinations that will enable to perform examination abroad.

By adopting this law the government will warranty that the examination is fair.

I will spare no effort to increase the threshold for funding the science and  provide a legal framework for the private sector and  adopt the mentioned  laws.

According to you which branch of science limps in our country, and what measures should be taken to improve the situation, for not dropping behind from the international standards?

The representatives of the exact sciences, despite the difficult conditions for them, are very active on the international scene, many of them are published in international authoritative journals. While some branches of science are isolated and do not have recognition.

Every year a large number of candidate and doctoral theses on Social Sciences, Economics, are maintained, but  people do not know that there are international newspapers, they are not aware on what level is, for example the idea of international economics.

The integration of our economics with the flow of international scientific flow should be encouraged, prizes should be determined and competition area should be created.