TIRANA, November 14 – The Constitutional Court has decided to suspend the 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”, which prevents them from leaving Albania 5 years after finishing their studies.
The court has accepted the request of a group of deputies and students, suspending the implementation of the law until the examination of its fundamental merits.
According to the government law, first-grade students will sign an agreement with UMT with MAS and MSHMS to commit that they will stay for 5 years for employment after their graduation in Albania in Albanian health institutions and will take the diploma after fulfilling this obligation. Below, the law provides that for students who are currently in the system, from the second year to the sixth year, again at the beginning of this academic year, an agreement will be signed where they commit that the students from the second grade to the fourth grade, three years, while the fifth and sixth year students, two years of employment in Albania.
This law was widely opposed by students and the opposition but was approved in July of this year as a measure to prevent the departure of doctors from Albania.
Medical students turned back on October 30 to auditoriums awaiting the Constitutional Court’s decision, which would mean that students will not be given a contract to sign until the Constitutional Court has the final say on whether the law forcing them to stay 5 years in Albania, is it in violation of the Constitution or not.
Such an accord was reached after a meeting between a representation of 8 students with the rector of the university, Arben Gjata for almost 2 hours on October 30. /argumentum.al
