TIRANA (Albania), December 13 (SeeNews) – Albania’s president Ilir Meta said on Thursday he has refused to sign into law the 2019 budget bill, following protests of university students demanding lowering of tuition fees and increasing spending on education.
Considering the students' demands to be legitimate and feasible, as well as aiming at meeting the social objectives in the country and maintaining its stability, the president has decided to return the law on 2019 budget to parliament for revision, Meta said in a press release on Thursday.
The protest rallies of univeristy students in Tirana and other Albanian cities kicked off last week. They are seen as the biggest protest action of students since the demonstrations in 1990 against the former Communist regime, according to local media reports.
The students demand lower university tariffs, increase of budget for education to 5% of GDP from 2.9%, improvement of university standards and overhaul of dormitories, increased students' presence on decision-making boards in universities, as well as review of academic titles, Tirana-based Top Channel reported on Thursday.
On December 3, Albania's parliament endorsed the 2019 draft budget which is built on projections for economic growth of up to 4.3% and targets deficit equivalent to 1.9% of the planned gross domestic product (GDP).
The budget envisages revenues of 486.5 billion leks ($443 million/339 million euro) and expenditures of 519.4 billion leks. Public investment is projected at 5% of GDP.
The government plans to cut public debt-to-GDP ratio to 64.9% in 2019 from around 66% expected this year.
(1 euro = 123.133 leks)