Bulgarian Students Rebel against University Fee Hikes

Over 700 students from the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) in Bulgaria's capital Sofia have rallied against a 33% increase in their tuition fees.

The UNWE administration made the decision to hike the tuition fees a month, with students in most majors now having to pay about BGN 100 more than they used to.

"International Relations" and "European Studies" are the most expensive majors at UNWE, with each semester in them costing BGN 400 after the hike.

The students have demanded that the university president Prof. Stati Statev either revoke the 33% tuition fee hike, or resign. They have also raised slogans for improved teaching techniques and conditions.

The protesting students also reminded that their tuition fees were raised by 20% two years ago.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday, some 200 students from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" rallied in the yard of Sofia University in downtown Sofia for a similar protest even though university president Prof. Ivan Ilchev promised earlier he would ask the Academic Council of the school to revoke the recently adopted 8% tuition fee hike.

The Sofia University students deem the hike "immoral in a time of growing poverty and unemployment in the country". They also said the university administration introduced the hike during the exam period so that the students would be busy and would be unable to react immediately.