Medical students in Albania "will boycott the academic year"

 Medical students protesting in front of the Albanian parliament, the placard reads "my degree is not your property"

 "In the middle of summer, just when we are about to collapse from the heat, and on the verge of the season, we are in a masquerade, we are like unleashed dogs from a leash," was the call from one of the medical students who, during the protest, urged not to approve the draft law for the medical university.

Medical students took to the streets in protest on Thursday, in front of the parliament where the session to approve the draft law for medical students is expected to take place, local media say.

According to the draft law, medical students who enroll this year will be required to work in Albania for 5 years after completing their studies to receive their diplomas. The government states that this measure is aimed at preventing the emigration of young doctors from Albania, but it seems that this decision will not be accepted by the students, who continue their protests.

The students have stated that if the draft law is approved, they will boycott the academic year.

"There are steps we have discussed, and we can go as far as boycotting the academic year. This naturally comes at a cost because boycotting the academic year means that we will remain uninformed about our studies for a year," said one of the protesting students to Euronews Albania.