Stop Eliminating Oriental Studies in Ukraine

The proposition was raised on the session of the Presidium of NASU (Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences) last Friday to abolish the Institute of Oriental Studies, the unique higher academic institution which takes care of Oriental Studies in Ukraine. Destroying the entire scientific current of studies, bureaucrats make excuses talking about optimization. There are no any scientific reasons for such action, apart from vulnerable position of Institute (its head chairman has passed away recently) and bureaucrats' hopes to obtain some corruptive benefits. Please, help to preserve the unique institution and associated academic discipline which is doomed to be extinct in Ukraine otherwise. Let's forward our demands to the President of NASU Borys Paton:
"Standing for freedom of science in Ukraine, we advocate unacceptability of any reorganization of A. Krymskyi Institute of Oriental Studies of the NASU that results in its disappearing as independent academic institution!"