DUSHANBE, January 14, 2015, Asia-Plus — Report on achievements of Tajik science has caused lively discussions in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament).
The Majlisi Namoyandagon today endorsed the draft law on the scientific activity and the state scientific and technical policy in new edition.
The President of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Farhod Rahimi, who is one of the authors of the draft law, noted that “unlike the previous law on the scientific activity, this law provides for the procedure of recognition by Tajikistan of academic degrees earned by Tajik nationals abroad.”
“We are sure that the new law will prevent unhealthy competition in science and remove obstacles in the way of development of science in Tajikistan,” Rahimi noted.
Speaking at the session, MP Lutfullo Saidmurodov noted the government increased science spending every year. “In 2014, the national budget earmarked 62 million somoni for development of science, while this volume will reach 600 million somoni by 2020,” Saidmurodov said.
MP Shodi Shabdolov, who is also the leader of the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT), pointed to the necessity of developing the mechanism of returning Tajik researchers who are currently working in many countries across the world.
MP Muhiddin Kabiri, who is also the head of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP), called on the Academy of Sciences president not to politicize science.
Rahimi noted that the Academy of Sciences earned more than 4.5 million somoni last year, and “we published more than 1,200 scientific reports in 2014.”
“4 million somoni a year – is it really achievement?” noted the Majlisi Namoyandagon Speaker Shukurjon Zuhurov. “It is shame on Tajik science! In many countries, which do not have the academies of sciences, scientific laboratories can earn 500-600 million U.S. dollars for one patent. People do not know about thousands reports of Tajik researchers because they are not interesting.”
