Education Minister Leonid Bujor dismissed reports that student stipends will be cut while tuition and dormitory fees will rise. The minister told the rectors' assembly Tuesday those rumors were invented by the political opponents of the Alliance for European Integration, Info-Prim Neo reports. Speaking about the fees for accommodation in student dormitories, the minister said the students are required to pay only 40 to 50 percent of the real cost, the remainder being covered by the state budget. According to the minister, the rectors are suggesting that the fees should be left unchanged, as utility-related costs should be optimized. “Other false reports allege that there are some decisions to raise tuition fees. Let it be explicitly stated that tuition fees will not rise”, Bujor declared. However, the minister went on to add that if some universities were to face insurmountable financial problems, they would have to clearly demonstrate that a rise in fees is the only possible solution. Tuition fees in Moldovan universities range from 3,200 lei to 7,500 lei a year ($275 - $590) for nationals, and from 5,200 lei to 25,000 lei a year ($410 - $1,960) for non-citizens.