Medical student denounces lack of meritocracy: Places go to politicians’ children

Appearing on Greta Topjana’s “Review” program, Dhimitra Nushi, a fourth-year medical student, spoke about the large protest expected to take place on Saturday. She said the lack of meritocracy was one of the main reasons young people had been driven to protest.

According to Nushi, the number of places in medicine is limited, and in some cases they have been awarded to the children of MPs, ministers or other individuals.

“We expect members of the diaspora to join us at tomorrow’s protest, along with students, ordinary citizens and school pupils, as well as students who have been unable to join us during the week. I am protesting because I want to be sure that when I enter the job market in the future, I can compete fairly and on equal terms—in other words, that there is meritocracy. I don’t think there is meritocracy, because we all know the truth. Speaking about my own field, there are very few places in Albania, and from what I have seen, they have always gone to an MP’s daughter, a minister’s son, a minister’s daughter or some other individual. So there has been no meritocracy for the student or medical trainee who truly deserved a place. There have been outstanding students on scholarships who have been forced to go abroad to specialize, leaving their families behind in Albania,” Nushi said.