Statement of the Rector of the University of Tirana

Following the communications and statements regarding the election process at the University of Tirana, as I informed you, based on the Order no. 175 dated 30.06.2020 of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, in fulfillment of the obligations as the highest authority senior management of UT, pursuant to article 5, point 3 of the Regulation "For the organization of elections for the governing authorities and the Academic Senate at the University of Tirana", issued Order No. 6 dated 30.06.2020 "For the announcement of the day of the beginning of the election process and the date determined by the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, for the election of the governing authorities and the Academic Senate of UT". 

Also, I announced the period of applications or self-nominations for members of the UT Institutional Election Commission (KIZ) and the UT Appeals Commission, for their formatting and approval, as a duty and responsibility of the Academic Senate of UT, defined in article 6 and 37 of the UT Election Regulation. Due to the lack of applications from UT academic staff for KIZ members, this commission failed to be approved by the Academic Senate.

In these conditions, currently, at the University of Tirana, the Institutional Election Commission (IEC) has not been approved, according to the requirements of Article 6 of the UT Election Regulations, as the only structure that has responsibility for the administration of the electoral process in UT.

This means that on July 30, 2020, at the University of Tirana, elections for governing authorities and members of the UT Academic Senate cannot be held, in the conditions of the inability of the Academic Senate to approve the KIZ, and the chaos and confusion caused by 5 (five) former UT academic staff.

On the other hand, 5 (five) former academic staff of UT, who, as you have been informed and clarified with my previous communications and statements, have had their employment relationships with UT terminated since May 6, 2020, continue to undertake actions and issue acts in function of the electoral process of UT. These former staff of UT are openly supported by all the current leaders of the main units (deans of faculties) of UT, in particular by Mr. Kule and Mr. AHoxha.

All these people have created a confusion and a total chaos in the institution and among the academic staff of UT. It is precisely this chaos and confusion that has produced this situation of illegality in the electoral process in UT.

With letter no. 1991 dated 08.07.2020 (click here MASR letter 08.07.2020), pursuant to Article 7, point 2/e, j, of the Higher Education Law 80/2015, as the institution that must verify the legality of the conduct of the elections, I strongly requested the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth to evaluate the information and documentation that I forwarded regarding the election process at the University of Tirana.

Also, with letter no. 1986, dated July 8, 2020, I have asked the Prosecutor's Office of the Judicial District, Tirana, to investigate exactly this situation of illegality, with the aim of returning to legality the electoral process at the University of Tirana.