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State Duma adopts bill on Academy of Sciences reform in 2nd reading

No votes were cats against the reform

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 5 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of parliament has endorsed the bill on the reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the second - and the main - reading.

It had the reading of a bill at the last session before the summer recess.

A total of 334 MPs voted for the bill, with just one abstention and no votes cast against the reform.

The bill requires a total reorganization of the Russian Academy of Sciences through a state-public organization "Russian Academy of Sciences", followed by the elimination of the existing Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Russian Academy of Education, Russian Academy of Architecture and Building Sciences and the Russian Academy of Arts upon government's decision will be transferred to the jurisdiction of the relevant federal authorities.

A special body will be set up to manage the assets of scientific institutes and state academies of sciences in the reorganization of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

All academies abolished the title of "corresponding members", all academicians and Corresponding Members currently in force are assigned to a single title of academician by personal statement, and a three-year moratorium on new elections is set.

"The sole executive authority" of the RAS will be its president. He will be elected for five years from among members of RAS, but for not more than two consecutive terms.

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