TWO INTERRELATED CONVERSATIONS With the director of the railway station, Shkëndër Hasa People, to be honest, had come in with different expectations. In the first few days we managed to secure the freight allocation every day, while also ensuring that it was processed on time. But we also have difficulties: first, with the brick factory. For years, under a decision, bricks have had to be transported in baskets. It is efficient: the bricks are protected from breakage, and abuses and theft are avoided. Last year this matter went as far as arbitration, and it was decided that the factory would provide the baskets, with a deadline set for the end of the year. But apparently Ndërtimi, seeing it as something that would be split off, neglected it. In the first days of this year we suspended the delivery to the station of bricks without baskets. We maintained this “rule” for 5–6 days, but for operational reasons we were forced to “give in.” So this is a problem that remains unresolved for us. Second, the problem of F. Letrës, concerning the transport of slag. It concerned us last year, and is still hindering us now. Until two years ago, slag was dumped here and there, polluting the environment as well. But now a reasonable solution has been found for this material: it is sent to the Vorë Brick Factory as raw material. However, in the fourth quarter there were shortfalls because the equipment used to load the slag was out of order for months on end. Even as we speak, it has not been put back into operation. We have made efforts, borrowing some loading equipment, and we are closing out January’s targets very well. But, as the saying goes, it is impossible to keep “begging” for the equipment every day. These two problems concern us. They are not in our hands…!

The Brick Factory, being a supplementary activity alongside NN, had been neglected. Even the material resources allocated to it had been used for other purposes by the enterpri- [text continues beyond the edge of the photo] …sive manner, unlike the method used up to now, when, after being given funds outside the plan to use, approval had to be obtained again from the Committee; otherwise, it would be con- [text continues beyond the edge of the photo]

TWO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A decision by the people’s council of the village of Rrilë, belonging to the NB, prompted me to write this time. To keep it brief, here it is: The new school building has just been completed. According to the staffing schedule, a cleaner was needed. I too submitted a written application in accordance with the rules, explaining, among other things, that for 10 years, until 5 April 1989, I had worked as a kindergarten teacher in this same village. In other words, you might say I am practically an education worker. Before long, the people’s council met and ultimately chose another woman. I am not saying that it had to be me, but I raise the issue on two counts: The council members and its chairman, Sokol Ndoka, called the council together early in the morning (it is winter now), at 7:00. Before daylight had properly broken! They even had to turn the council members back from the road. They say that, because they were in such a hurry, they completed the minutes several days later. Besides that, 3 council members were entirely absent. In the end, the decision was made in favor of another woman. She too has a secondary-school education. But would it not have been more reasonable to choose me, as a former education worker? All right, I do not claim that I should be reinstated as a kindergarten teacher, but surely my comrades should not have hesitated to appoint me as a cleaner, at least. Why act this way? Not to satisfy my wishes, but to uphold a justice that I am convinced was more due to me than to all the other applicants who sought that job. The people, the village, entrusted you with settling our “dispute,” with weighing what is fair. Does your conscience not trouble you about what was due to me? DILA FRISKU Rrilë NB

Anyone who passed through the Zadrima area a few years ago asks this question. There was a large hill completely covered in forest. It also had game animals such as rabbits and foxes, as well as a large number of species of birds and so on. In fact, for a time this area had been turned into a game reserve, where the breeding of pheasants had also begun [?]. But let us leave aside the explanations and literary descriptions and turn to the true reality that meets the eye today. “Where did those forests of Kodhel go?” a friend of mine from the army asked me these days; an earlier visit to this “pearl” of the Zadrima area had left a deep impression on him. But how can I ans- [Continued on page 2]

The Brick Factory, being a supplementary activity alongside NN, had been neglected. by the enterprise. Since the factory’s staff had no authority, it waited for everything to come from the enterprise. Indeed, it happened that when Ndërtimi received its own brick quota, it later gave no thought to the others. Being separate this year has got everyone working. The noose has tightened: everything is here with us; orders no longer come hand to hand. We have our own equipment, from heavy machinery to transport vehicles. We started 1991 well. We completed January’s plan in almost three weeks. We put into operation a German press that, over the course of 4 years, had worked for only one year because some of its parts had worn out. Now it is running beautifully. We took measures to secure reserve wagons for the kilns, so that no interruption would occur. There are fewer breakdowns now, and when they do happen, there is greater interest in getting them fixed. We have made better use of wage incentives. There was a serious kiln breakdown. They did a week’s work in one night. We rewarded them properly. This is because we now use the 2% of the fund as needed, considered a violation. This has hindered us quite a bit. This year, with the state purchase price of bricks having risen, instead of the 400 thousand lekë loss we were projected to make last year, for 1991 we are projected to make a profit of 300 thousand lekë. (Meanwhile, the price of bricks when bought by the public is unchanged; the state pays for the resulting loss.) Nevertheless, we still have problems, such as, apart from the technology, the very low level of workers’ qualifications. We have around 20 mechanics here today, but you can count on your fingers those who truly warrant the category written in their workbooks. The coal we receive is often poor quality; sometimes, quite casually, an electrician cuts off the power. We stop work for an hour, but then it takes another 2–3 hours to get it running again. Regarding the baskets for transporting bricks, our railway-station comrades are right. We did have them several years ago; they were used for a while, but someone said they were supposedly “unprofitable.” That was all it took, and the baskets disappeared. It would take around 1 million lekë to replace them. Now, where am I supposed to find those funds!

These days we visited the agricultural machinery repair brigade of the SMT. Its brigade leader, Mark Gazulli, tells us, among other things: “All the workers in my brigade have secondary-school education and category 4 or higher. What seems particularly noteworthy to me is that we have got ahead of the work. For example, we have already finished repairing and inspecting the corn planters, which are also used to sow sunflowers. In fact, our deadline was 15 February. “As brigade leader, I mainly concern myself with organizing the daily work and ensuring that workers have jobs to do. In other words, so that I do not create obstacles, interruptions, or unnecessary delays for them. The day before, I assign each person the task they will work on. The work is mainly done on individual piece rates. (Continued on page 4)

Everywhere today people are debating and discussing. But what stands out is that, all too often, we speak from opposing extremes, showing no tolerance and looking more to the past than to the future—in other words, engaging in a harsh dialogue. And, as if to balance everything and be “in the know,” people do not forget to use the phrase “leveling,” national unity. These days are intense; the pressure is great. Only strong characters and bold initiatives can face the new reality. It is regrettable that some do not truly understand democracy and the democratization of the country. These days I ran into a friend of mine, a newly graduated specialist appointed to one of the district’s businesses. I was glad we met on the road and that we would have a chance to exchange a few words. We had not taken even ten steps when he asked me: “Whose side are you on?” “I’m with my brothers, while at the World Cup I was supporting Brazil,” I replied jokingly, although deep down I felt a kind of hurt. “I’m sorry you’re making fun of me; you understand what I’m asking you,” he retorted. Then we argued for a while and barely parted, somewhat at odds... A lively discussion was under way among a group of friends. One voice dominated the others. He would not let anyone else speak and kept gesturing. We had never known him in Gjadër as such a great “orator.” He spoke about the Democratic Party, then a little about the other parties, the political entities, and the elections, with all kinds of provocative imaginings. “Aha, stop,” someone intervened. “No getting heated or shouting, no grudges or resentment...!” “No. Nobody is stopping you from speaking and expressing your sympathies for the parties, too. But you have no right to insult or dismiss someone else. Still less to slander and say whatever you please. The current existence of political pluralism should not be understood as an elbowing match to bring down or raise up a friend whom you consider an opponent. Nor should it be understood as a divisive factor in public opinion, or, worse, as opposition between generations, which would cost us dearly. Political pluralism, regardless of the political preferences of the parties and independent entities, should serve comprehensive and uninterrupted democratization; it should serve unity, bringing people closer together, national progress and cultural development, and the strengthening of discipline and order. Questions such as “Whose side are you on?” and so on are more the product of some people’s ignorance; they have no place in cultured, constructive, and tolerant dialogue. In other words, they serve no healthy force committed to moving forward, developing, and making progress in our country. TONIN NIKOLLI

Fourth year of publication Weekly Thursday No. 77 (149) 24 January 1991 Price 20 qindarka