To whom it may concern
I am seriously concerned about the imminent demise of the Academy of Sciences of the CR and the majority of the basic research in the Czech Republic.
I understand that as a result of the proposal of the Research and Development Council, the institutional budget of the Academy of Sciences of the CR is to be cut by one half over three years, which would lead to the redundancy of many highly qualified experts, to the destruction of the scientific infrastructure and to the liquidation of the current network of academic institutes.
The destruction of the Academy of Sciences of the CR would affect also higher education institutions, with which the ASCR closely cooperates in a number of areas from the guidance of graduate students to instruction in a number of unique and irreplaceable fields. The main victims of the budget thus proposed would be both basic and applied research on the one hand and tertiary education on the other.
I am particularly concerned about the Department of Music History of The Institute of Ethnology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. This Department and its highly specialist staff produces unique research into the glorious and world-renowned heritage of Czech music.
I appeal to the government to consider again the overall strengthening of investment in research and development as the best way to face the current economic crisis and to lay the foundations for future advancement and prosperity.
Without quality and universally developed basic research, not even successful applied research can exist and economically effective innovation evolve. Budget cuts precisely in this area would be manifestly counterproductive and would directly contradict the anti-crisis measures of the governments in the developed states of the world.
Yours faithfully
Roger Flury
Secretary General
International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML)
cs 
