YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The second sitting of the Board of Trustees of the Science Development Fund of the RA National Academy of Sciences, on the agenda of which it was envisaged to discuss a number of issues of the strategic program of the structure, changed into a speech of praising addressed to benefactor Gagik Tsarukian, an MP of the National Assembly and a member of the Board of Trustees. Radik Martirosian, the co-Chairman of the fund established yet in August 2007, after introducing all the present members of the Board of Trustees, spoke in detail about the sad situation of the science of Armenia and about the fact how small are the state sums assigned for science. Radik Martirosian also mentioned that great businessmen in Armenia avoid cooperating with scientists, that is to say, making investments in that sphere. "One can understand that as the direct results of the investments made are not immediately seen. In addition to this, businessmen make use of already tested technologies for which they cannot be blamed. There are few people, who, in reality, believe in the Armenian scientist and his work," Radik Martirosian stressed. In this respect, in his words, Gagik Tsarukian, who "confidently invests the results of the Armenian science into his economy and gives part of his fortune for the development of science," can be distinguished. Radik Martirosian awarded Gagik Tsarukian with a golden medal of the Avademy. Vilen Hakobian, an academician-secretary of the Department of the Natural Sciences, as well spoke about the beneficences of Gagik Tsarukian and mentioned that he "is an Armenian with a capital letter" and "makes beneficence in all the spheres." He compared Mr. Tsarukian with Alexander Mantashov, an Armenian prominent benefactor of the past century. Gagik Tsarukian declared in his response that "the paternal economy should be based on the paternal science." According to him, in reality there are no specialists and not jobs in Armenia. "Our independent state has no reserves of gas, oil or any other precious mine reserves so as to be able to quickly recover. We need strong science and education to be able to overcome every difficulty," Gagik Tsarukian said. Gagik Tsarukian made a donation of 300 thousand dollars for the Science Development Fund of the National Academy of Sciences, 200 thousand of which for the development of science and 100 thousand for allocating additional patment to retired scientists. He promised to allocate similar sums in the coming years as well.

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