TIRANA, Dec. 11 – As the government failed once more on Tuesday to meet the deadline set by protesting students’ to comply with their demands, Tirana traffick suffered heavily due to completely blocked streets due to what quickly became the most massive protest the country has seen in years.
On the seventh consecutive day that students gathered in front of the Education Ministry, the number of students seeking improved education standards and lowered tuition fees grew by the thousands.
Although local media reported police authorities stopped student buses coming from other cities on Tuesday, the protest was joined by students coming from Durres, Vlora, Elbasan, Shkodra, Korca and Gjirokastra.
Seniors from Tirana’s high schools also joined the protest, while those who remained in the outskirts held their own rallies and skipped classes.
Students claim that their eight demands for tariff cuts, increased education budget, participation in faculty management and faculty election, eradication of corruption and low standard of professors are non-negotiable and they expect the government to meet them.
They also stress their demands are part of existing laws and should have been met by the government before students took the streets, leaving the government no place to negotiate but urging it to meet its legal duties in relation to the students.
A number of representatives speaking to local media claimed Prime Minister Edi Rama’s two-hour live speech on Monday and his proposals are unrelated to their eight basic demands regarding the education system.
According to them, Rama’s promises for free scholarships, or for increased work places are luxury promises long overdue, as they now seek to have the most basic conditions for living and studying met.
Additionally claiming they don’t trust Rama’s desire to set up dialogue, they decided to refuse any talks and persist they will be keeping the protest away from politics.
Further on, protesting students said they felt offended by Rama’s statement last week calling protesters “failing students whose expenses taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay,” when in fact, they allege, Minister of Education Lindita Nikolla was a weak student herself.
Over the last seven days, thousands of students are chanting the government and university authorities are abusing their families’ money because the government raised the cost of their studies, lowering the standard of their university life.
Meanwhile, the government met one of the protesters’ demands and expressed readiness for dialogue concerning the rest, but the students said they will continue the protests until all requests are met.
Voiced dissatisfaction and received support
As students stood for hours in front of the Education Ministry for more than a week, local media asked a number of them to voice their dissatisfaction with the education system.
Adi Abdulli, a graduated student from the Tirana Medical University (UMT) told Tirana Times he has joined the protest to support fellow students who are still suffering through “horrible learning conditions” at the faculty.
“There are no textbooks, you know? This is medicine, not a joke. You have to remember a lot of things, work with sick people and we have to figure out which foreign texts to use to learn as much as possible,” Abdulli said.
He added that UMT students are the ones suffering the most and with the most rights to be protesting, considering they have a big responsibility on their shoulders.
“The majority of students don’t get taught how to hold a radiography right in their five years of studying. They are taught nothing of value, nothing beneficial and God knows how many nights I’ve spent with the fear I might give a patient the wrong medicine. This is why students are protesting,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the students’ protest have received support by the majority of the Albanian population on social media, as well as international education and civil rights organizations and Albanian associations of the diaspora.
The European Students Union followed suit a statement of solidarity by the Erasmus Mundus Students Association, saying it supports the aim of the ongoing peaceful protest.
On Wednesday, the government approved a draft law financed by the German government for campus reconstruction worth three million euros, and established work groups to address student demands.
Albanian police files charges against 25 protesters
As the government said it is working on meeting student demands but also repeatedly requested a meeting with representatives, Albanian state police began criminal proceedings on Wednesday against 25 students and other citizens.
The police is charging protesters for rallying on Dec. 11 – the seventh and most massive day of protests – without obtaining a permit by the authorities.
According to the police, this “illegal protest” caused a breach in public order and peace and blocked traffic all over Tirana, in addition to leading students to throw hard objects at the yard of the Education Ministry.
Among the criminally charged are prominent figures, like professor Edmond Tupe and artist Robert Aliaj. Police also charged some of the most well-known protesters who, leading thousands everyday, gave the student rally a face and a voice.
On Tuesday, the protests of thousands was divided in three groups; local media and students themselves suggested those who are really protesting for their right to free education remained in front of the Education Ministry, while other students, part of opposition forces in the country, were guided by opposition leaders to block the traffic at the Black Bird Roundabout and stay all night in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, where they also ignited a fire.
Due to this division, an online survey was conducted by students to determine where the protest should continue – 64 percent of students agreed to keep gathering in front of the ministry.
So far, protesters in front of the Education Ministry have denied any political force looking to represent their cause, claiming this protest only belongs to dissatisfied students. Internet footage has shown students picking up the garbage from the capital streets every night after protests and peacefully sitting in front of the building, chanting songs and holding placards.
