Press Release, October 2, 2013

The scientists who disagreed with the bureaucratic reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences organised an action of protest at Sakharov Square, St.Petersburg.

Activists of the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO and member of YABLOKO Bureau Anatoly Golov participated in the action. One of the the youngest activists, member of St. Petersburg branch of Youth YABLOKO, postgraduate student at Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Maxim Tomchin addressed the protesters.

“This year I took a post-graduate course at the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was a hard decision. Everyone asked me: “What for? Do you want to be a teacher with the salary of 15 or 20 thousand roubles ( 343- 458 Euro)? Forget it, nobody needs scientists in Russia…” But I’m ready to work for this money! I’m not indifferent to the destiny of our science and I want to do scientific researches”.

“Do the present authorities need science?”, asked Tomchin. “It’s enough to switch on Ren-TV or TV-3 channels and watch the medieval nonsense which has been on for years. These authorities don’t need science, as scientific thinking makes a person free”.

YABLOKO’s activist reminded that the bill on the reform of the RAS has been adopted.

“Now our goal is to keep on struggling, achieve the abrogation of this fraudulent law and accept a new one which will satisfy the needs of the academic science”, said Tomchin.

About 400 people took part in the protest action.