“The minister has the right, and sometimes the obligation depending on the procedure, to appoint advisory teams, but the team is there to express an opinion. The advice is not binding. It is intended to help the minister make a decision, but it does not replace it,” said former Minister of Education and Science Przemysław Czarnek (PiS) in an interview with the wPolityce.pl portal, commenting on the information about the suspension of financing. of the Polish research vessel by the Ministry of Science.
The Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences has announced that the Ministry of Science and Higher Education has suspended funding for the research vessel Oceania. It is the only Polish research vessel that can operate outside the Baltic Sea.
Our scientific activities, largely based on research on board Oceania, also include extensive collaboration with research centers from around the world. This is an important item in world oceanography. But above all, it involves a huge amount of knowledge about the changes taking place in the two most sensitive and important areas, namely the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. It is difficult for us to understand the decision of the Polish government, which after 35 years of good work, is closing an important source of financing for this unit. Thanks to Oceania, Poland receives money for oceanographic research from the EU, the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and bilateral agreements – on average several million zlotys per year – but this is money for research, not for ship maintenance
-transferred.
Maciej Gdula, deputy minister of this ministry, tried to defend himself and his colleagues by blaming the expert team.
The government has not reduced subsidies. “Oceania” was not eligible for funding in the competition, in which decisions are made by expert scientists. The Institute of Oceanology has submitted an application to change the decision. The ministry is trying to find a solution to this difficult situation
– he argued.
Lack of competence
The problem is that no expert team is responsible for the final decision, only the competent minister. We asked the former head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek (PiS), why Gdula decided to explain himself in this way.
This is the result of a lack of competence. The minister is responsible for the implementation of science policy in the country. Minister, no advisory teams
– he said in an interview with the wPolityce.pl portal
The minister has the right, and sometimes the obligation depending on the procedure, to appoint advisory teams, but the team is there to express an opinion. The advice is not binding. It should help the minister in making a decision, but it does not replace it. Because if opinions and advisory teams replaced the minister, why do we need a minister? It’s a waste of money for ministers. Let’s set up advisory teams and let them run the ministry themselves. This is not what ministry management is about
– he said.
Czarnek gave an example of one of the programs he implemented himself.
When parents in the special school complex in Warta registered as a foundation in support of the school to buy a car, because disabled children from different municipalities had no idea how to get to the school, because they had to go back and forth in a broken car. traveled again, and the advisory teams rated it negatively, what should I do now with advisory teams that have no idea what this school needs? I knew the needs of this school and today the children drive a beautiful, elegant Mercedes. Disabled children from smaller municipalities should be able to travel to school with normal equipment, even if their supervisors expressed a different opinion
– he pointed.
Kononowicze of Polish politics
The Oceania case is not the only shocking story about the left-led Science Ministry in recent months. Przemysław Czarnek has left no stone unturned for the current leadership of the ministry.
These are the ‘Cononians’ of Polish science. They stick to one rule: nothing happens
– he said, referring to the speech of the candidate for the presidency of Białystok, Krzysztof Kononowicz, currently a controversial Internet figure.
It is no longer just a matter of changing the directions of science, but simply eliminating everything related to the development of Polish science and the development of science-business cooperation.
– he pointed out.
READ ALSO:
– Unheard of! The ministry stopped financing the Oceania ship. Scientists from the Polish Academy of Sciences warn: this is a blow to Polish polar and marine research
– ONLY WITH US. The government has cut subsidies for a Polish research vessel that explored the Arctic. Rzymkowski: This is an action in favor of the Russian Federation
Adrian Siwek
Source: wPolityce