Students from Albanian public universities have flooded Tirana’s streets protesting against extra charges imposed by the government. Despite not having Europe’s schools and universities, the education is more expensive for the Albanian students compared to their European counterparts.

Latest data from the Albanian Institution of Statistics, INSTAT, show Albanian families pay for education 3.9% of their total expenditures, four times more than the European families.

The average figure in the EU is 1.1%, while in the region, with Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia Herzegovina it goes between 0.6%-0.7%.

The figure is different in different counties of Albania. In the poorest county, Kukës, the families spend for education 9.1% of their total expenses, coming directly after the expenses for food. Kukës is followed by Fier with 6.8%, then Tirana and Lezha, 5.2%.