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On February 21, the RA NA Vice President, the NA Acting President Hakob Arshakyan visited the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Issues related to the perspective of the scientific and technological development and the works of the NAS were at the core of the discussion.

The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Sisak Gabrielyan, the deputies Khachatur Sukiasyan, Vigen Khachatryan, Alkhas Ghazaryan, Aleksey Sandikov, the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences and the directors of natural sciences scientific-research institutes participated in the meeting.

In his speech, the NA Vice President highlighted the meeting. “We are in a building where world-class scientists like Sergey Mergelyan, the Alikhanyans and Victor Hambardzumyan worked, and I am sure that today, there are similar professors among our scientists who contribute to the development of science,” Hakob Arshakyan emphasized.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament informed that there were discussions in the National Assembly on the science development. “From a strategic point of view, there is a need for long-term state planning, which should be implemented with the involvement of state institutes, the National Academy of Sciences, relevant departments of the Government and private companies,” he noted.

Hakob Arshakyan has stressed that the field of science has a primary role for the power and the sharp increase of funding defined by the budget is the proof of that. Investments in the sphere of science and education in Armenia are the most effective ones and the development of Armenia can be based on that.

The RA NAS President Ashot Saghyan has noted that the Academy is on the threshold of serious reforms. According to him, after the Law on Higher Education and Science will come into force, the reforms will enter a new phase. Referring to the funding of science, he has expressed hope that the increase of funding will be continuous.

The participants of the discussion, touching upon the existing problems in their fields, have stated that there are disputable provisions in the Law on Procurement and there is a need to make amendments to it.

As the NA deputy Khachatur Sukiasyan has said, it is necessary to strengthen the connection between science and private companies. According to him, the basis of the economy is conditioned by the development of science.

The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Sisak Gabrielyan expressed readiness to study the raised problems and organize a meeting with the representatives of the executive body in the near future.

At the end of the discussion, the NA Vice President Hakob Arshakyan expressed hope that such meetings will be continuous.