Hungarian government withholds funding from Academy of Sciences prompting protests
International organisations have raised concerns over research independence in the country
The Hungarian government is withholding HUF17 billion (£46.5 million) of funding earmarked for the everyday running of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The academy is the country’s main research institution, comprising over 40 research centres, and the science ministry has said funds will be withheld for at least three months. The move has sparked protests from researchers both in Hungary and abroad who claim that the government is undermining researchers’ independence. The government has released funds to cover the academy’s personnel costs for the first quarter.