On March 5, on the initiative of the NAS President, RA NA Chairman Artur Baghdasaryan met with members of the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Research Council. Fadey Sargsyan, the NAS President, briefed the Chairman on the current situation in the sphere and problems facing the scientists. The NAS President highlighted the science funding from the state budget, raising salaries of people involved in science, allotting bonuses for scientific titles, scientists’ participation in the elaboration of legislative initiatives regulating the sphere. Numerous issues have already been solved as a result of co-operation with the National Assembly.

The NA Chairman attached importance to close co-operation between the legislature and the NAS stressing that the NA has already funded publishing of 5 books written by scientists. The participants in the meeting proposed to fund the publication of another 10 books. Artur Baghdasaryan proposed to include NAS research institute directors in NA delegations in order to establish and maintain links between the Armenian Academy of Sciences and Academy of Sciences of other countries. Touching upon the issue of the science funding, the NA Chairman said that the science funding will increase with each year depending on the budget. The Council on Science Affairs attached to NA Chairman will imminently be set up called to ensure comprehensive discussion and resolution of problems facing the sphere and the scientists. Commenting on assigning bonus payments to people with scientific titles, NA Chairman proposed to submit a definite account of the people with scientific titles for the expense calculations to be included in middle-term development programme.