Medical students met with President Bajram Begaj this Tuesday, to discuss on their concerns over the newly approved law “on the special treatment of students who follow the integrated study program of the second cycle ‘general medicine’ in public institutions of higher education”.

One of the students who was present at the meeting, stated that there was a joint table of discussion between them, the President and his councilors, where all their concerns were voiced and heard.

“The President said he would look into the already approved law. Today’s meeting was serious and we presented every problem we have faced so far. We cannot comment on what stance the President will have,” the student told the media after this meeting.

The students provided that the President had carefully heard them, contrary to other institutions where they have held similar meetings.

The students warned that they will continue to meet with officials and institutions, to suggest more comprehensive policies instead of compulsory ones.

The Albanian Assembly approved the new law that aims to stop new medics from leaving Albania during a session on July 21, 2023, with 71 votes in favor, 23 against and no abstention.

The law presents students with two choices: either sign and work for 2-5 years in Albania after finishing their studies, or pay very high tuition fees, should they not accept this condition.

According to the Government, the new law is the right measure to ensure health services for citizens.

The opposition spoke against the law and asked for the students to be heard in the Assembly as an interested party, but the request was overruled by the Socialist Party in power.

As the session was taking place, students were staging a protest in front of the Assembly building.

They warned they would take the newly approved law to the Constitutional Court and would even boycott the new academic year.

Currently, the annual tuition fee for a medicine student varies from 210 euros to 430 euros, according to the average score of the students at the end of the academic year. The fee excludes students with an average GPA of 9 [in the Albanian scoring system, 4 represents the lowest student mark and 10 represents the highest mark].

Over the last decade, according to the Albanian Medics Association in Europe, more than 3,000 medics have left Albania, with some 1,500 of them moving to Germany.

They mostly complain of lack of conditions in hospitals, lack of medicaments and low wages.

The average gross salary of a medic in Albania reaches 950 euros, in comparison to an untaxed wage of a medic in Germany which goes as high as 4,000 euros.