TIRANA, Dec. 16 – On Saturday, university students’ protest in Albania entered its eleventh consecutive day of demands ranging from lower tuition fees to improving higher education standards.
Saturday also marked the fourth day students gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, after a week of protesting in front of the country’s ministry of education.
Public university students showed again their determination in having their eight demands met by the government without sitting to establish a dialogue with government representatives.
On its side, the government once more stated it will not be meeting demands it has deemed “feasible” unless students accept its proposal to dialogue.
Over the last weeks, students have have abandoned classes, asking state and university authorities to halve university fees, issue a student card with a series of economic benefits, increase the budget for education and increase student participation in the decision-making forums of universities.
Most students have said they didn’t expect the government to delay the fulfillment of their minimal eight demands for such a long time, especially since the government said they are fair and feasible.
Students claim that no one has been assigned to dialogue with the government as their requirements are foreseen as human and student rights in the existing laws of the country and in the electoral promises of the socialist majority.
Students of the public universities of Durrà«s, Vlora, Elbasan, Shkodra, Korà§a and Gjirokastra were also joined by Tirana University students protest.
Practically for nearly two weeks, all university auditors in the country are empty and no lessons or other studies are being conducted.
The students claim to feel insulted by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s words, calling them failing students and saying students are just a handful of people protesting, when in fact the protest is gathering over 100,000 people from all universities.
Students say their demands are non-negotiable and no one can talk with officials on their behalf.
