Until the day before yesterday, in part of the villages of our district, people’s meetings were organized for the presentation of candidates for deputies to the People’s Assembly. Hearing the short biographies of the candidates presented by the independent electoral subjects, one can notice the evident claim of these subjects: the candidates we present to you are among the best sons of the people. This is how it is being done for the candidates of the Party of Labor, and likewise for those of the Front, the youth, women, and the trade unions. It is a demand that in these times the new democratic processes be approached with a new understanding. Thus, the candidates presented in the villages of Sukaj, Gjomardhaj, Rrjoll and Rras i Butë, included in electoral zone 132, were well received, in order to make as candidate for deputy in this electoral zone GS-së of the district and Llesh Doku, proposed by the independent electoral subject of the Democratic Front of the district. However, in this same zone, in the villages of Kashnjet and Zaj, Zeqirjgj, school director, and Nd Lleshi, zootechnician, were proposed as candidates. The villages of Dajç, Kotë and Kodhel, included in zone 130, approved B. Gjyl Braja as candidate, a candidate of the Party of Labor, presented by the district Party organization. Meanwhile, in this same zone, in Mabë, Jak Ireka, school director, and Niko Ndoka Ndreji, assistant doctor, were also approved as candidates. In Blinisht, Bagël eriaj, the people’s meetings had attendance like never before. There were no objections to the candidacies proposed by all the subjects, but it was requested that the candidate be from the village of their zone. Therefore, those who approved also agreed to the candidacy of Ndue Simoni, director of the agricultural bank. The presentation of candidates has begun in other zones as well. The day before yesterday, for example, in the village of I. Shëngjin the people’s meeting was held. They approved Llesh Rroku, a candidacy of the Party of Labor, Marash Ndoka, a candidate presented as a subject of the trade unions, and Adnan Pëllumbi from the youth. However, in this same zone, the village of Tresh also approved Agron Meta, the village dental doctor, as a candidate. During these meetings, problems are still being raised to the authorities and economic bodies. In Kakariq, for example, the candidacies were approved, but it was requested that the water supply problem be solved before the elections. Such problems have also been raised elsewhere. It is the duty of the authorities and other organizations to address some of the repeated objections as quickly as possible. There are possibilities to establish a transport service for the passengers of Kashnjet. What hinders it, apart from negligence, is bureaucratization. It has no other name. People’s interest at these moments of the election campaign is natural. They will get to know those who will represent them in the highest organ of state power, through whom they will exercise the power of the people. All the more so this time, when proposals are being made for various candidacies. The work of presenting candidates and approving them continues. There is a tendency for each village to have its own candidacy, while some announcements and approvals are being seen within the villages that make up a certain electoral zone. What matters is that the best, most honest and most capable sons of the people come into this body, for the function of representative of the people in its highest organ.

In today’s political pluralism, the militant character and stance of the communists, the two-faced nature of those who consistently defend the ideas of the Party of Labor, and also of those who have sought to find some supposedly comfortable and easy way out that has no qualms about changing sides when the “winds” blow, emerge and are revealed without ambiguity. A few days ago, in a free discussion held at the secondary school of Zejmen among the teachers, I was struck by the attitude of the young communist Veronika Gjoka, who expressed this view: “In our family we are 6 children. Besides my father, who long ago proved the importance of the card near the heart, I took it too, convinced by the ideals of the party. I am not sorry; on the contrary, I feel proud these days, when groups, parties, people, etc. are distancing themselves.” These days I spoke with the communist Lule Prendi from the village of Spiten and the serviceman Shpresë Kuçana about the electoral elections that will be held on 10 February. They condemned the serious events in Shkodër, Kavajë, Elbasan, etc. They also condemned certain other people who have “bitten all by themselves” (according to them!). These communists know how to distinguish good from evil, the careerist from the true intellectual, the pluralist from the anarchist, etc., etc. And they felt a sense of satisfaction when they saw meetings and gatherings around the objectives for the Party of Labor program announced in the newspaper “Zëri i popullit”. I think that these days it is not appropriate to deal with the mistakes of the past (!), but rather to look toward the future, which we are projecting together. Dila Nikolli is an English language teacher at the 8-year school “Gjergj Kastrioti” in the city of Lezhë. At the same time, she is also a candidate for party member. She worked conscientiously during her internship. She follows the democratic processes step by step, drawing concrete tasks from them. Communists like that are needed now more than ever. Therefore, the true communist should take pride in having a name and a title. Meanwhile, the good of work requires that some should not remain only warming the Party card, but should go where the hardest work is, where they go to explain things to people in the village and in the city, in the field and in the factory. Otherwise, the card fades! Whoever entered for career now stays in the shadows and waits to see what will happen. We do not need, I repeat again, such communists. IRFAN RAMA

— With Zef Gjeka, chief engineer of F. Letërs We began the year with a balance that was not satisfactory in the production of crops and milk meat, to eliminate some defects, steam shortages and machinery supply services. But this period also helped us to understand the enterprises, especially in timber [?]. — We had planned that not only the enterprise, but also each department would be calculated separately. We managed to do it. To do this, each person must measure production, judge the work; to do this, some equipment is missing, such as calorimeters, centrifuges, etc. Transport is also measured. My increase and some are being introduced, but some have already been added. But here, to figure something out, it requires a way to ensure it. This, those difficulties, as for being able to cut, also for repairs, each must receive exactly his due. We are now forced to do it at least at the end of the three-month periods, in order to divide the profit. It would be good if this were done every day and for every worker. The new mechanism has started. But what puts us at a disadvantage is the material base, especially milk. Timber is also coming to us with major deficits. Mirdita is seriously hindering us. Hundreds and thousands of m3 of timber came to us below the plan of last year. This year it has also started badly. To strengthen discipline and do the work well here, that is in our own hands. But in these other aspects linked to the material base, what can we do on our own, how can we do it better?

- With Mark Zefi, chairman of the agricultural cooperative of Kallmeti - With Mark Zefi, chairman of the agricultural cooperative of Kalivaçi. The calculation is simple: in 1995 the number of small livestock heads would reach 6,700. Could this figure be small, considering the terrain opportunities (pastures)? — If we refer to the conditions and possibilities that the area has, this number is small. Whereas the possibilities of the economy on the basis of repairs are so many! What about the natural conditions (available possibilities)? — Even 10,000 heads would be few. Of course, without forgetting to sharpen the axe too, which not infrequently causes havoc. Do not mean legal logging, because we have heard people say about your area: cut the oak and gather the land?! — The people say it well: he who does not eat wisdom has legs. This expression fits well with the practice of the 1970s. About 130 hectares of land were deforested. Before, there were forests, bushes… whereas now it is called arable land and also bread land, but the yields obtained are low, around 20 quintals of wheat per hectare. Let us not forget the labor and sweat poured into turning these mountain landscapes into the “plain”. A little earlier you said that you have 17 hectares of vineyards and around 13 hectares of orchards. And these in place of the oaks and long and massive vegetation that existed before. What has been the profit from them? — Let us not go far; just last year, the vineyard has remained only by name, since almost no produce was obtained, while the cherries gave a little, 5–6 kg per root. — Do you think that some crops in your economy “do not let themselves be”? We say this taking into account the yields you have achieved in wheat, potatoes, corn, etc. And not only the fact, but also the planning…? — This year we have planted 60 hectares with wheat with a yield of 24 quintals per hectare. — So, more than 1/4 of the bread requirement. Knowing the yields achieved in the field, about 14 times higher, is it worth the trouble to plant wheat again in Kalivaçi, when we have bread secured, since the district and Ungrejt have planned you for this year 700 tons of bread grains? — Even if we plant wheat, it would be more appropriate to plant forage crops first and a lot, especially alfalfa, as well as create polyphite meadows to strengthen the fodder base of livestock. We, who this year have taken 2,000 liters of milk for each cow head (300 kg more than the duty) and aim to reach 2,400 kilograms this year. How much credit do you owe the state and do the cooperative members feel joy at their forgiveness? — They were not few, but around 800 thousand, postponed as credit and the annual installments of 300 thousand lek that had to be repaid every year until 1995. This has pleased the cooperative members and has made it possible to raise the value of the working day to 2 lek. And one last question: what is your opinion on extending family patronage in livestock? — The patronage of herds on an individual or family basis made it possible to increase care for the livestock, to cope on their own with the difficulties of winter in terms of feed, shelter… As a result, technical indicators such as fertility, replacement, etc. increased. Naturally, livestock would also benefit faster and more, which would make them more aware of increasing production. Prepared by: TOME THERCAJ