Skopje, 29 July 2024 (MIA) – Health Minister Arben Taravari stated Monday that there are no disagreements within the government coalition regarding the proposal for an Albanian Academy of Sciences and Arts, highlighting that it was a program commitment of ‘Worth It’ during the presidential and parliamentary election campaigns. Taravari noted that all ideas related to science and art are positive and that the initiative has started in four municipalities for now. In the future, they intend to find a solution acceptable to all citizens of the country.

“We have no disagreements; this has been a program commitment since the campaign for the presidential and parliamentary elections. I believe that ideas related to art and science are good and beautiful. For now, we have started as an initiative in four municipalities, and in the future, I hope we will find a solution that will be acceptable to everyone living in the Republic of Macedonia,” Taravari said.

In response to the ruling VMRO-DPMNE's reaction, which is also their coalition partner, that science should not be ethnicized, Taravari said he agrees and assured that they do not ethnicize science.

"Science is never ethnicized, certainly not. We have numerous universities, and we do not ethnicize science. We will have more institutions focused on science and art, and we will develop and support these institutions to the fullest extent. Every year, when the university ranking results are released, unfortunately, our universities do not rank highly. We all need to give our best to ensure that the science and art of all ethnic communities living in Macedonia develop more effectively,” Taravari said.

Over the weekend, leaders and representatives of the parties within ‘Worth It’ coalition met with the Association of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Tetovo. They revealed that the municipalities will finance this association and announced efforts to establish the academy as a public institution. This, however, has caused reactions and disagreements among their coalition partners in the government, VMRO-DPMNE and ZNAM, as well as the opposition parties SDSM and DUI.

"Initially, this academy will be supported by the municipalities. Meanwhile, until we find a legal framework for it to operate in accordance with the law and receive financial support from the budget, that is, from public funds. This is a step to demonstrate that Albanians, as a significant part of this country, can contribute to science, art, and all areas of society. We believe that, as the second largest ethnic group in the country, we have the intellectual capacity to establish an academy that will contribute to all these fields," said Bilal Kasami, head of the Besa Movement, representing the ‘Worth It’ coalition.

Zeqir Kadriu, Secretary of the Association of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Tetovo, said that this is their second meeting with ‘Worth It’ coalition, which has brought concrete solutions.

Izet Mexhiti, First Deputy PM and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, welcomed the initiative on Sunday. He stated that, in the initial phase, support will come from the municipalities. He added that they will continue discussions and negotiations and assured that a solution will be found.

“All of this will be advantageous for the country. The more scientists and academicians we have, the better the prospects for North Macedonia will be,” Mexhiti noted.

When asked why this academy couldn’t be part of Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Art (MANU), Mexhiti replied that it could potentially be a solution.

“However, MANU also needs to open its doors. I will ask why there isn’t a single Albanian employed at MANU. Is it that the second largest community has no candidates for MANU, or is there a reluctance to get involved? This is a challenge, we are raising this issue and need to find a solution together. As long as citizens of this country, regardless of their ethnic background, seek education and wish to participate in academic and scientific research, we should welcome it as a contribution and investment in the future of this country,” Mexhiti said.

The ‘Worth It’ coalition’s announcements prompted reactions from its coalition partners in the government, VMRO-DPMNE and ZNAM, as well as from the opposition parties SDSM and DUI.

VMRO-DPMNE, from the ruling coalition, stated that MANU is the only institution that unites Macedonian scientific thought and includes scientists from various ethnic communities.

ZNAM leader Maksim Dimitrievski said that the science should not be politicized or ethnically divided, as it has its own genesis and continuity.

“Such attempts and ideas are the result of post-election populism. In Macedonia, MANU exists as the only Academy that belongs to everyone, and no parallel institutions are allowed. Our government partners from ‘Worth It’ need to focus on economic growth and development, improving the lives of all citizens of Macedonia, and making a substantial commitment to combating crime and corruption, including political corruption. This also requires offering personnel with a clean background, free from crime and scandals,” Dimitrievski noted.

The opposition party SDSM reached Monday against the establishment of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and that MANU should remain the only institution comprising renowned scientists from all ethnic communities.

“This is not the first time that ‘Worth It’ and its leaders have mentioned the Albanian Academy as a project, but Mickoski and VMRO-DPMNE have persistently remained silent. What other demands that are unacceptable to the majority of citizens has Mickoski either ignored or secretly accepted? The so-called greatest patriots, Mickoski and Dimitrievski, seem to have turned a deaf ear to these ‘Worth It’ demands due to their comfortable position in the government, and are now attempting to make a point by rejecting them. The only question is what the cost will be and whether there are other demands being delivered in secret if the academy does not pass,” according to SDSM’s reaction.

From DUI’s perspective, this is a so-called municipal "academy" that embarrasses both intellectuals and the nation.

“In an attempt to present some results and halt the free fall that discredits the nation, 'Worth It' has 'set up' the 'Academy' of Sciences and Arts, which will be financed, incredibly, by municipalities - a unique case in the world,” DUI’s press release reads.

Academic Vlado Kambovski stated in an interview with Kanal 5 TV on Sunday that the idea of having two national academies is impossible and unknown in any country.

“In every country, there is only one national academy of sciences and arts; I am not aware of any country that has two national academies of sciences and arts. There are medical academies, art academies, and others that do not have the status of national academies, so I do not understand the idea at all. If the idea is to establish two national academies of sciences and arts, it is an impractical and impossible concept,” Kambovski said.

Photo: MIA archive