Top Polish academic sees threat in plan for new state body

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s top academic has expressed concern at government plans to form a new major state scientific institution, amid fears that the move might threaten academic independence by strengthening political control over research. The governing right-wing Law and Justice party has already controversially increased control over Poland’s judiciary and media since it came to power more than five years ago. Jerzy Duszynski, the head of the Polish Academy of Sciences, wrote in a letter this week to heads of institutes under the academy’s umbrella that he feels the academy is threatened. The government has denied any plans to liquidate the academy.