Academics can read up again
Researchers at universities around Greece who had their access to thousands of scientific journals blocked because the government had left a multimillion-euro bill unpaid will soon be able to read up on the latest academic findings after the Education Ministry confirmed yesterday that it would settle the outstanding amount. The issue came to light on Monday when the Aegean University rector, Andreas Troumbis, resigned after discovering that all online access to material published in some 12,500 scientific journals had been blocked. Sources said Greece owed 32 million euros in subscription charges for the whole of last year and the first two months of this year. The Education Ministry reacted to Troumbis’s resignation by immediately approving the payment of the outstanding charges. The ministry blamed the delay on the previous administration and said it recognizes the importance that these journals have in the academic community.
