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Lawmaker says he cannot be stripped of academic degree

Last year, bloggers said some extracts in his thesis had been borrowed from other papers

MOSCOW, April 10 (Itar-Tass) – United Russia deputy Vladimir Burmatov said he cannot be stripped of his academic degree under the law. Burmatov made the statement in comments on the reports that the High Certification Commission /VAK/ was reviewing this issue. Last year, bloggers said some extracts in his thesis had been borrowed from other papers.

"Under the law, I cannot be stripped of academic degree after I defended my thesis in 2006," the lawmaker wrote on Twitter. In his opinion, VAK's review of his thesis is "a witchhunt" and "the fight against those who criticize the ministry."

Burmatov defended his thesis in education science at the federal institute for developing education in 2006.

The new VAK leadership has already announced plans to increase the statute of limitation for checks into the authenticity of theses from three years /currently envisioned by the law/ to ten.

On Tuesday, Burmatov lashed out at the Education Ministry leadership and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dmitry Livanov.

"After the reform of higher education institutions for which we criticized Minister /Dmitry/ Livanov from this rostrum, the mass media launched a veritable information war against me and my colleagues, spearheaded by Antiplagiat private company," he said.

"When this informational bacchanalia began, I made a decision and quit the committee on education as first deputy chairman, as well a university department so that this information war not hit my committee, my department. I've created a precedent."

"Now, Ladies and Gentlemen /State Secretary, Deputy Minister Natalia/ Tretyak, /Deputy Minister Alexander/ Klimov, /Director of the Ministry’s Department for Civil Service, Human Resources and Mobilization Training Stanislav/ Kudzha, head of Rosobrnadzor Federal Service for Supervision of Education and Science Ivan/ Muravyov - you have to pack up and go!" Burmatov demanded.

A precedent has been created. I believe these people should not disgrace by their presence the ministry of education and the very system that exists not because of them but contrary to them," he added, "I believe the State Duma's dedicated committee for education should officially demand from the minister of education that he clean the ministry of these personnel," he said.

The Communist Party demanded Livanov's resignation, too.

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