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Nicolae Marius Marginean was appointed Monday as director general of the "Horia Hulubei" National Research & Development Institute for Nuclear Physics and Engineering (IFIN-HH) in lieu of academician Nicolae Zamfir, by order of Minister of Education and Research Monica Anisie, the Ministry said in a release.
"The decision stays in effect until a contest is organised to fill the position, but no longer than six months. During this period, Marginean will also serve as chairman of the Board of Directors," the Minister of Education and Research states.
Prior to this appointment, Nicolae Marius Marginean was president of the IFIN-HH Scientific Council tasked with providing the strategic direction and coordinating the institute's R&D and innovation activity.
The "Horia Hulubei" National Research & Development Institute for Nuclear Physics and Engineering manages the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research.
The Presidium of the Romanian Academy sent Monday Education Minister Monica Anisie a letter of protest against the dismissal of Nicolae Zamfir, citing concerns that this move endangers the completion of the Magurele-based high power laser project.
In the protest letter, the Presidium of the Romanian Academy states that it has taken note with "deep disappointment" of the decision to dismiss Zamfir as director general of the institute, a decision they consider "unjustified".
In the opinion of the Romanian Academy, Nicolae Zamfir's dismissal threatens to obstruct the ascending evolution of the Romanian scientific research worldwide and endangers the completion of the ELI-NP project.
The Presidium of the Romanian Academy considers that it is the duty of the country's highest science and culture forum to publicly disapprove of such practices and to draw attention to the danger that a strategically unconsolidated administration contributes to destroying the field opened by ELI-NP.
