Cancelled General Assembly to be held as soon as possible – decisions by the Presidium on 7 April
Due to the epidemic and related government measures, the Presidium of MTA has acknowledged the President’s decision to postpone the 193rd General Assembly scheduled for 4-5 May. Through an electronic voting system, the Presidium has also decided to prolong the current leaders’ tenure until 30 September 2020 at the latest.
10 May 2020
Based on Academy tradition, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences holds its General Assembly during the first full week of May every year. The original plan was to present the Academy’s awards and acknowledgements on the first day. This day would also have provided a slot for the presenting of all the mandatory reports related to the Academy and the voting related to them. The second day of the General Assembly would also have been an occasion for the renewal of officials, including the position of president, followed by the External Members Forum and, during the following day, the Young Researchers Forum.
During the Presidium’s 7 April virtual meeting, the body acknowledged the president’s decision to postpone the 193rd General Assembly originally scheduled for 4-5 May due to the current epidemic and related government measures. However, according to the body’s decision, the General Assembly is to be held as soon as circumstances permit.
During the virtual meeting, the Presidium also unanimously supported the decision to prolong the tenure of all presiding leaders, official chairs, as well as members and substitute members of the Standing Committee of the General Assembly until the next possible opportunity for election, by 30 September 2020 at the latest.
The Presidium also supported the prolongment of the terms of the heads of the scientific sections until the next board meetings can be held following the renewal of Academy officials.
All other items on the General Assembly’s agenda, which according to Academy law and the Statutes of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences do not require the Assembly’s exclusive jurisdiction, will be resolved through the virtual voting system of the Presidium.
The Presidium unanimously requested the president initiate an extraordinary amendment to the current Academy legislation, according to which, as long as the emergency is in effect, the Assembly be assigned decision-making functions through electronic voting while all related rules of procedure be determined by the Presidium.
Should it not be possible to hold the next General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in the traditional manner for an extended period, the president will encourage a virtual voting system in order to convene the next General Assembly.
The Presidium also decided to publish information regarding the 193rd General Assembly awards on the official website of the Academy, mta.hu, on 4 May 2020. The awards will be presented in the traditional celebratory manner during the next General Assembly.