The Copernicus Academy – in accordance with current press law – is demanding a correction from wyborcza.pl. She has formally approached the website’s editor-in-chief Jarosław Kurski on this matter.
The article in question is by Alicja Gardulska: “The Copernican Academy was supposed to elevate European and world science to heights. Now many are calling for its liquidation‘ (wyborcza.pl, 14 November 2023, 5:02).
Numerous false ‘information’ was known to be present in the text. In particular:
- the completely deceitful assertion that, in the case of the two outstanding Nobel Prize winners for Physics – Astronomy, Professors James Peebles and Barry Barish, ‘it was not known … why it was decided to single out these researchers in particular’.
The justification for these awards was presented to the public, among others, at a press conference attended by the laureates who had come from overseas. Unfortunately, neither journalists from Gazeta Wyborcza nor from “wyborcza.pl“. There is also a relevant press release from the Polish Press Agency and publications on the website akademiakopernikanska.pl. Laudations highlighting their contribution to science were broadcast directly from the Royal Castle, where the awards were presented.
2. It is untrue to say that a member of the Academy is “the former head of the Government Legislation Centre”.
3. It is untrue to state that the members of the Academy are “neo-Judges of the Supreme Court: Prof. Krzysztof Wiak (…) and Prof. Jan Majchrowski”.
4. The claim that the Academy “duplicates the activities of other institutions” is not true.
5. It is not true to say that the Academy “does this [duplication] in a non-transparent way, often breaking accepted rules”.
This claim, due to the obvious slander it contains, will be the basis for indictments against the author of the text and the editor-in-chief under Article 212 of the Penal Code.
6. At no stage of the work involved in setting up the Copernican Academy did any of its initiators ever say that [it] was to elevate European and world science.
7. The Nicolaus Copernicus School of Science and Technology could not – for obvious reasons – participate in the evaluation of scientific units completed on 31 December 2022, as it was launched on 1 March 2023.
At the same time, the correspondence stresses that the Copernicus Academy cannot answer questions directed by “wyborcza.pl” in which interest is expressed about the state of emotions of its members. The Academy has no instruments to monitor anyone’s moods and emotions.
In addition, it was noted that the Copernicus Academy once again needs to point out that the allegations made of the alleged ‘politicisation’ of the Copernicus Academy are not only untrue and unsupported, but also harm the personal interests of each and every member of the Academy. Among them are numerous Nobel Prize winners from various countries who have never been “accused” of engaging in any political activities. All of these people can take appropriate legal action in their own countries against the mindlessly formulated accusations of “wyborcza.pl”, whose sole aim is the current political struggle in Poland and pathological revanchism.
