12 February 2019

Letter of Solidarity to Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Support of Academic Freedom – Centre for European Studies and the Centre of Excellence in Law, Identity and the European Narratives, University of Helsinki, Finland

To the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Dear Prof. László Lovász:

As professors and directors of the University Helsinki, Finland, we share your crucial concern over the recent governmental attacks on the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and academic freedom in Hungary in general. We are especially alarmed by the “program of excellence,” announced this year. We have been informed that the planned program violates the fundamental principles of academic freedom. We researchers of history and current-day Europe wish to stay on your side and repeat that academic freedom is one of the key elements of a democracy and rule of law.

We ask the Hungarian government to respect the freedom and independence of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and its research institutes and guarantee their functioning. We strongly support your demands for independent and scholarly oversight of research and staff.

Sincerely
Dr. Juhana Aunesluona, Director of the Center for European Studies
Dr. Pamela Slotte, Dr. Reetta Toivanen and Dr. Kaius Tuori, Director of the Centre of Excellence in Law, Identity and the European Narratives
University of Helsinki

The original letter can be downloaded from here.

To the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Prof. László Lovász

Letter of solidarity with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Dear Professor Lovász,

as representatives of our respective Scientific Associations we share with you and your colleagues the serious concern over the recent government attacks on the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and academic freedom in Hungary in general.

We are especially alarmed by the structural reorganization that would have as consequence the placement of research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences under direct political control. This both contradicts the basic principles of academic freedom and creates high uncertainty for the working conditions of the Academy’s staff. Independent science in all areas is an unavoidable requirement for the successful development of a society. Moreover, we express concern for the dismantlement the Academy’s network of research institutes.

All of these choices have been taken without the consultation of the academic community and in contrast to the decisions of the elected membership of the Academy.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is an internationally respected centre of research excellence and over the years many members of our Scientific Associations pursued collaborations with researchers based in its institutes.

We wish that the Hungarian government respects the independence of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and that it restores the organizational and financial stability of their research institutes. We strongly support your efforts to safeguard the Academy in the commitment to academic freedom and scholarly excellence.

This letter of solidarity was accepted by the members of the executive boards of the Italian Economic Association (SIE), the Italian Association for the Study of Comparative Economic Systems (AISSEC), the Italian Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (IAERE), the Italian Association for the History of Political Economy (STOREP), and the Italian Association of Labour Economics (AIEL).

Yours sincerely,

the Presidents and the Executive Committees of the

Italian Economic Association (SIE)
Italian Association for Comparative Economic Studies (AISSEC)
Italian Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (IAERE)
Italian Association for the History of Political Economy (STOREP)
Italian Association of Labour Economics (AIEL)

Torino, 5/3/2019

The original letter can be downloaded from here.

The director and the researchers of the CEFRES express their support to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

The director and the researchers of the French Centre of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences (CEFRES) are deeply worried about the dismantlement threatening the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the biggest academic institution of the country. They express their full support to the president of the Academy, Mr. Laszlo Lovasz, and to the whole academic community of Hungary, concerned with the respect of academic freedom and intellectual independence.

One of the CEFRES’ main missions is to promote research in Humanities and Social Sciences and to build long-term cooperation with universities and academic institutions in the four Visegrad’s countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland). The CEFRES’ team is alarmed at the current discourse stigmatizing partners whose intellectual relevance and academic excellence cannot be questioned and at the succession of reforms aiming at weakening them. They express their full support to their colleagues of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to the Central European University and to all the academic institutions which are currently threatened.

Prague, the 10th of March 2019

Le directeur et les chercheurs du CEFRES soutiennent l’Académie hongroise des sciences

Le directeur et les chercheurs du Centre français de recherche en sciences sociales (CEFRES) s’émeuvent des menaces de démembrement qui pèsent sur l’Académie hongroise des sciences, première institution scientifique du pays. Ils affirment leur plein soutien au Président de l’Académie, M. Laszlo Lovasz ainsi qu’à l’ensemble de la communauté académique hongroise soucieuse du respect des libertés académiques et de l’indépendance intellectuelle.

L’une des missions principales du CEFRES est de promouvoir la recherche en sciences sociales et humaines et de coopérer durablement avec les institutions académiques et universitaires dans les quatre pays de Visegrad (République tchèque, Slovaquie, Hongrie, Pologne). L’équipe du CEFRES s’alarme de la succession de discours qui stigmatisent et de réformes qui affaiblissent des partenaires dont la crédibilité intellectuelle et l’excellence scientifique ne peuvent être mises en cause. Son soutien va aux collègues de l’Académie hongroise des sciences mais aussi de la Central European University et de toutes les institutions universitaires qui sont aujourd’hui mises en cause.

Prague, le 10 mars 2019

The original of the letter can be downloaded from here or the website of Cefres.

Pavel Janácek, a Cseh Tudományos Akadémia Cseh Irodalmi Intézetének igazgatója nagyra értékeli az intézeteink közötti együttműködést, külön kiemelve a közép-európai kulturális hagyományok közös ápolását és a szakmai kapcsolatot Berkes Tamás tudományos tanácsadóval, a Közép- és kelet-európai Osztály vezetőjével. Szolidaritásának hangot adva reményét fejezi ki a kialakult helyzet megoldására és a jól működő, alapkutatást lehetővé tevő, hosszú távú tervezést biztosító intézményi struktúra működtetésének lehetőségére.

The Romanian Academy of Sciences, alongside with the other European Academies, asserts its solidarity with Hungarian Academy of Sciences, being confident that the mision of the Academies is to be the highly responsible voice of the states the represent.

The support letter is here.