The Academy of Sciences (ASH) of Albania rejected President Ilir Meta’s decree refusing to approve the election of Skënder Gjinushi to President of the Academy of Sciences.
Yesterday – one day after President’s decree – the ASH Executive Council released a press statement declaring the “absolute invalidity” of president’s decision not to approve Gjinushi’s appointment.
Academy’s decision to take up Constitutional Court attributes and reject the presidential decree is reminiscent, including its wording, of a similar recent decision by the ruling Socialist Party to reject two election-related decrees.
The ASH failed to argue how it had reached to the conclusion that Meta’s decree was “absolutely invalid”.
On Friday, President Meta published his lengthy and detailed decision, pointing out several articles of the “Law on the ASH” violated during the election of Gjinushi.
Meta argued that, according to the law, no politician can be elected member or president of the Academy of Sciences. Therefore, Gjinushi’s status of member of academy for several years was in clear violation of the law, because at the same time he has been the Head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). His election to President of the Academy, on May 24, was also a legal violation for the same reason. See here for a detailed description of legal violations of Gjinushi’s election.
Two years ago, Skënder Gjinushi, who was the last Minister of Education of communist Albania, took the lead of the reform of the Albanian Academy of Sciences with the backing of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Several academics and intellectuals, as well as part of the public opinion have decried his election to the head of the academy.
The Executive Council has called a meeting of the Academy of Sciences Assembly – Friday, July 11 – to decide on requesting the President to reconsider his decision.
