Non-partisan MP Edmon Marukyan assured during a conversation with www.aravot.am that the initiative We Demand an Increase in the Financing of Science knew his position on financing science by heart and that he lobbied for them in the National Assembly the whole day. Let us remind that, nonetheless, the MP stated during the discussion on the draft of the 2013 budget that he was for optimization in the field of science, which was opposed by Artsvik Minasyan, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) MP.
Edmon Marukyan said during a conversation with us, “I absolutely agree that scientists are paid low wages, but it was explained that it was not completely true. Those people work for other thematic projects too.” In response to our observation that 2000 scientists of the academy were not involved in any projects and the university system and our question how their problem would be solved, Edmon Marukyan said, “Well, that is why their wage is increased by 10 percent, regardless of the increase in the income tax. I asked the minister about that too and he answered. I don’t want to say that I am satisfied with that, but I am one of those people who mention and raise that issue all the time.”
He promised to regularly make proposals to increase the financing of science, “When the amended version of the budget is ready, we will see how much it has increased, by 245 million or 260 million. Another thing that is very important for me is that this increase should not be incorporeal. There should be a project underlying it. Now let us wait and see where that money is spent.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
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