Reading a certain part of the press, one might think that plagiarism is like no other in our country – there are plenty of them at the top of the state, they deny it with brazen lies and trample on whistleblowers of honesty. It does not. Russia, for example, took it from us a long time ago. As shown here or here, the culture of plagiarism is very widespread in Russia. With the same characteristics as here: officially ‘action taken’, ‘ethics matter’ – while every time someone important is exposed… obscure twists and turns are taken to avoid action being taken. As with us, the intellectual property of texts has little value. It may have its roots in the Cold War era, when the Iron Curtain allowed the plagiarism of anything from the “class enemy” of the opposite camp, from academic texts to pop songs. As here, very little is officially said about the widespread practice of buying theses. Even the guilty prefer to deny the evidence in plain sight, or, at worst, to swallow the accusation without comment, than to say plainly that they did not copy a word; because yes, they didn’t copy personally, they just… bought a bad, copied product. Bought or, if they were important enough, given. As with us, very little is said about the fact that in certain fields or schools you will be a true victim as a student: you will grow up in an environment where all your peers copy/plagiarize, where even your teachers encourage you to do so – and even you won’t know it’s wrong. You find out too late that you were wrong, or you simply refuse to find out, because otherwise too many moral landmarks in your life would be overturned.

The president of Russia has been reported on for many years that he has a plagiarized thesis(ineva in the field of economics, copied from a 20-year-old text). In Russia, it does not matter and does not exist. “The country has more important things to do.” Since the age of 15, he has had more important problems than paying attention to the president’s plagiarism. In any case, some defenders argue, it’s not really plagiarism because it’s not even a PhD, but something below a degree (and certainly doesn’t even have an ISBN, as some of us would rightly point out). And in general, there were other practices back then, and anyway, xyz commission still hasn’t made a verdict, and let’s just not take it after what some and others write who want to harm the country right now, when… Arguments we also hear about plagiarism by important people.

An important difference is that Romania has a much more real democracy than Russia. What other solution do we have at our disposal than to say that black is white and white is black. It is not my job as a teacher to decide on my own (and not even with other teachers) who should hold positions in government; likewise with various other important functions for the country. There are enough others elected and delegated for such decisions. But someone has to tell them, repeatedly, and apply it until they understand to maintain stability in the face of terrible international threats and especially those related to the war unleashed by Russia… there is no need to become Russia. Does x or y need to be retained/promoted in this role for reasons that are too complex or sensitive to explain publicly? OK, dear decision-makers, so be it, but find a way to acknowledge the academic problem and not lie to yourself like in Moscow. Maybe I’m wrong when I say this, because a lot of what people in public see is a false or incomplete facade (I’ve been wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time) but… why, for example, should you take a person, which in its official quality stands out more decently than almost all his predecessors, in that you do not see him hanging out with subordinates, you do not see him involved in business corruption, you do not see him making obscene jokes about opponents , you don’t see him laughing in the nose or talking disparagingly to anyone, especially not citizens, you don’t see him with alcohol behind him, you don’t You won’t see him in tabloid circuses, you won’t see him running an anti-democratic , anti-European or anti-Romanian propaganda… and involves him in terrible cover-up maneuvers, uses him as a cover for someone else’s plagiarism… all while pretending that it is “for his own good”? Or, please, the good of the country; Are you worried that plagiarism attacks are harming the stability of the country? so, the mail shows how some of Romania’s most sinister opponents rejoice at each new accusation of plagiarism; but I would also take a hard look at their colleagues who are pushing us down the Russian path of cover. Colleagues and nothing more, certainly.

Romania has a more democratic political life than Russia. For example, in our country it is allowed to ask for someone’s resignation on the basis of plagiarism, without being crushed by the state apparatus (although here, too, the case of attacks on Emilia Sherkan once again shows us the way to Russia). But… it would be great to politicize the topic less. Each of the public figures who asked this or that politician to resign because of plagiarism… has a list of “good plagiarists” or “invisible plagiarists” that he turned a blind eye to. – either because it was about people on the good side or who did more good than evil, or because these people just looked past their noses and stayed where they were. This turning a blind eye to the “good/invisible plagiarists” is almost as damaging as the cover-up. Thus, politicians accused of plagiarism get the desired alibi: “it’s a political attack”. Read the whole article and comment on contributors.ro