500 calves versus 12,000 citizens That we are living through difficult days and poverty is nothing new, but that they should still continue and earn the right to drink even our milk, that doesn’t seem right to me. And simply for the sake of the old method of organizing work. It seems it is quite difficult to break away from it. I’ve told you this to get to a problem we all feel in our own way, their calves in the city of Lezhë and Shëngjin: the milk supply. Only 5 quintals of milk are distributed in the city of Lezhë and 1 quintal there in Shëngjin! Or, if we calculate it another way, that comes to 55 grams of milk per person! Someone might say: «Well, we know the situation, so don’t make us even more upset.» Since there’s nowhere to get it, are we supposed to just carry on like this…? It’s not that there’s no milk for the people of the cities, but milk is being produced—and not a little, but over 20 quintals at the Gjadër Agricultural Cooperative. It is given to Tirana’s calves. The height of it! People go without while the calves drink to their hearts’ content. Don’t rush; I’ll explain how the story of these calves, which have turned out to be more important than the residents of Lezhë, stands: the 12 agricultural cooperatives of Tirana bring about 0 calves to the Gjadër Agricultural Cooperative to be raised. That is, they are born in Tirana, come and grow up beautifully in Gjadër, and then we send them back, once grown, to Tirana. So, by an order approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Executive Committee of our district, Tirana has solved its problem: Lezhë works for it. Why should we raise them when, perfectly well and in keeping with all the technical requirements, they could be born, raised and slaughtered in Tirana?! Are we still going to follow the mindset that has weighed us down for decades, that «we all have to work for Tirana»? And what is left for us—just to watch the calves? If they left them for us for meat, well, that would be half the problem, but as soon as they grow up, they all head off to «everyone’s» Tirana… I’ll say it again. Everyday life has plenty of difficulties; but why should dozens of families go without even a drop of milk, and why should the mothers and fathers of these little ones have to wait from five in the morning, pleading with the saleswomen for a litre or half a litre through a «friend» for their children, when we have milk, and plenty of it? Why, for the sake of a few old formalities and the district’s lack of initiative? Talking with the director of the Gjadër Agricultural Cooperative, Gjovlali Gjurashi, we learn: «This is simply due to negligence by the Ministry of Agriculture and the district. I intend to terminate the contract with Tirana’s agricultural cooperatives for the calves and supply the market in Lezhë and Shëngjin with about 20 quintals or even more milk a day…» Then he falls silent for a moment, lost in thought. When we asked why he did not put his idea into practice, he explained that the district’s arbitration officials had threatened to fine him. So he wants to get rid of Tirana’s calves, while the comrades on the Committee both want to and don’t want to. It is true that they have made some requests to the Ministry to remove them from Gjadër, but they have not been persistent. So, as long as the market is empty and the calves are drinking the milk, we have every right to criticize them. It is true that contracts with Tirana’s agricultural cooperatives were made long ago (once upon a time), but the contract says Tirana is to supply the calves with milk powder. They are not supplied with it, so they drink fresh milk for months on end. People queue in Lezhë and Shëngjin and go home with empty bottles, while the calves frolic in Gjadër! How this bureaucracy of power has taken our breath away! There is another problem, too: the Gjadër Agricultural Cooperative loses about 600,000 lekë a year from raising the calves. So why should we keep them any longer, when they both drain the city markets and cause us losses? Surely, if this milk were redirected to the market, every family could be supplied with 1 litre of milk, without having to push one another—or even having to endure a neighbour’s envy because they got some and I didn’t. To conclude, I’ll end this article with a half-joking, half-serious remark by a family man from Lezhë who, when he heard about this business with Tirana’s calves, said: «If they don’t remove Tirana’s calves and bring milk to the market, then perhaps… I’ll go and live with the calves, with my whole family!…»

— With Kujtim Emiri, representative of the Independent Trade Union of the «Mihal Duri» Printing House, Tirana. Question: What are you seeking with your strike? — Today work has been suspended in almost all departments of the printing house. We demand that the events in Shkodër be resolved once and for all, that our wages be increased by 50%, that women not work the third shift, that they have the right to a 6-hour workday, etc. Tirana and several other cities are on strike. Question: Why hasn’t the Government resolved your demands? — As usual, the Government is making us weary. It is dragging its feet. If it were a matter of building a congress palace or a guest house, I believe the Government would keep its word. When it comes to wages, it is dragging out implementation. Question: Why did you allow only the newspaper «Our Time» to be published? Does that mean the workers will work? — Who will report our views and demands better than newspapers?! You journalists deserve our appreciation. «Our Time» will be published. That is what all the workers agreed. Question: And if the strike continues next week, will you publish the newspaper? — Certainly. It will be published. Tirana, 16.5.1991, 15:00

NEWS BRIEF

According to the report issued by the press ... the events in the city of Lezhë and Shkodër noted that, alongside damage and other acts of vandalism, three passenger carriages had also been burned, in which ... two unidentified people were burned ... We learned a few days ago from the investigative department of ... in Shkodër that the people involved on the night of April 26 were: Kolë ... from the village of Prekal, a student at the agricultural secondary school ... Lekë Valë Pjetri, reportedly ... of this person, a student at the Kamëz Agricultural Institute.

… the other day, the House of Culture in ... organized the cultural afternoon «Youth and Cinematography». The many participants, especially the young people, welcomed this event, which was directed by Mimoza Selimi, with a script by Aleksandër Frangaj. After the event, the new feature film «A Boy and a Girl» was screened.

Opens tomorrow, May 18, at 18⁰⁰ in the hall of the district’s art gallery; 12 young artists are taking part with 37 works in painting and sculpture.

On Sunday, in the hall of the «Manush Alimani» Palace of Culture, the initiative committee for establishing the PSD branch in our district held its first Conference. Workers, cooperative members, intellectuals, young men and women, supporters of this party, etc., took part. Prof. dr. Skënder Gjinushi and Candidate of Sciences Lisien Bashkurti also took part. The Conference elected the PSD district’s steering committee and delegates to the National Conference of this party. Pjetër Kola was elected chair of the steering committee for Lezhë district.

— A road-police vehicle was struck by a cart with two cart drivers at the city intersection. The cause and consequences have not yet been precisely determined. — 12 families were left confined because of a murder in Bërzanë. The law-enforcement and government authorities are trying to reconcile them. — All the fruit trees in a villager’s orchard in Malësi were cut down on the pretext that he had settled on someone else’s land. How will the law be enforced…?

It has been more than a month now that the most powerful Trade Unions, which have also been established in our district and are affiliated with us, are at the Letër Factory, NSHN, NB Balldre, NB Rrilë, N Ushqimore, etc. This organization is not subordinate to the current BP or to the Free Trade Unions (the allegedly reformed ones), nor to any kind of political party. So far, we have established several trade-union councils in 11 district enterprises, with around 3,500 workers. It must be said that this is the only force that will defend the interests and rights of all the district’s workers and, in this way, of the people of Lezhë as well. Therefore, we call on all workers who wish to join our ranks, because they will find themselves and will be secure in defending their rights. LULËZIM SADENINI Chair of the Initiative Committee for the establishment of BSPSH in Lezhë district

NB Rrila planted onions. Now there wasn’t a single onion on the market. Then we were forced to ... we’ll tell you. We sent them to the Lezhë market, where there are no onions, but one day Engjëll Simoni, head of the prices-and-standards section, sent the carts back, telling us: «They don’t meet the standard specified in these papers of mine in the office». Meanwhile, were forced to sell them to Mirditë. They took them for 50 qindarka more, without making a fuss like Engjëll. THE TRADE-UNION COUNCIL OF NB Rrilë WORKERS

WHO FORCED US TO FORGET OUR SO BEAUTIFUL DANCES?

That the newspaper of the Labour Party Committee has been permanently closed. The editorial office of the new newspaper, which in fact bears the same name for legal reasons but may change its name tomorrow, just as it has completely changed its face by now, also explains to you that the district Labour Party Committee has tak[?] into account that the newspaper is self-financed, is new, and needs everyone’s help. It would be in the district’s best interest for each enterprise to contribute something, but so far not a ray of light is to be seen. Nevertheless, we will ensure your subscription this time as well. In fact, the Labour Party Committee has been permanently assembled. Labour Party Committee has taken we will ensure your subscription this time as well. At least the district Labour Party Committee remains under the same name for legal reasons, but tomorrow… has for the newspaper. Taking we will ensure your subscription this time as well.

The newspaper’s editorial office may hire people for a two-month period, and possibly beyond, to sell the newspaper freely, for up to two days a…

For a period of two months, and possibly beyond, the newspaper’s editorial office can hire 3 people to sell the newspaper individually, for up to two days a week, paying them 20 qindarka for each newspaper sold. This is because subscriptions begin only in June, while people are asking for the newspaper every week. This was evident from the very first issue. Readers snapped it up immediately, but complained that it had not been distributed fairly to all enterprises, schools, and villages. Those interested should report to the editorial office every Friday at 7⁰⁰ in the morning. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

whether they want to or not. It is true— NIKOLLE LESI