And we say that if a part of the peasants does not respond to this call and takes its economic, social and political situation into its own hands, then the VILLAGE and the peasantry would become independent not only as a social stratum, but also as an independent political force, with special weight in the political life of our country. Better late than never, they said when this matter was being discussed. For the moment it is not yet too late. What matters is that the peasantry should not give its vote to the ruling party. The peasant cannot give his vote to a party that has impoverished him, a party that has left him without bread and without hope. How can the peasant vote for the PSH when, with his vote, he would once again seal the destruction of his property, the cooperative, and his economy? The peasant will feel deceived if he accepts empty promises once again. He knows very well who has brought the country to this state. Only a new policy, only a new government, can pull the countryside out of this crisis. The Albanian peasant knows that land is his life and that without secure property there can be neither production, nor market, nor well-being. Therefore he must decide with a clear mind and in his own direct interest. If his vote goes to those who took everything from him, then he himself will once again be left with nothing. If his vote goes for change, then a new path will open. The only path is to break with the past and its failed politics. The peasant cannot give his vote to the Socialist Party.

Stealing is an old trade in Albania, but only now has it experienced a new boom. In recent years, and especially after 1990, corruption has taken on such dimensions that it has become one of the state’s gravest wounds. Former officials of the PPSH, directors, secretaries, heads of economy, people from the old apparatus, now present themselves as defenders of order and law, while they are responsible for the disappearance of common property. Some of them have profited from unclear privatizations, from warehouses, from depots, from shops, from cooperatives and state enterprises. They have taken whatever they could, leaving behind emptiness, poverty and chaos. Corruption is not only direct theft; it is also abuse of office, favoritism, concealment of documents, manipulation of inventories and pressure on honest people. In many districts, the same people continue to hold key posts, even though the system that brought them in has fallen. That is why reform is moving slowly and why people are losing trust. The fight against corruption requires names, responsibility and legal punishment. If this does not happen, the people will continue to pay for the mistakes of others.

The PD emerged from Monday’s June elections as the winning force in these elections. The elections of 22 March [?/June?] accepted the people’s vote 20 years later . We must not overestimate the results achieved so far. We must never forget that victory and defeat are temporary. Only work, honesty and ties with the people make a political force durable. The National Council of the PD activist examined the political situation after the elections, organizational tasks and ways of strengthening the structures at the center and at the grassroots. The need for political discipline, greater communication with the electorate and a departure from any display of complacency was emphasized. The economic situation of the country, unemployment, shortages, market disorder and the government’s duty to act quickly were also discussed. The meeting also raised the issue of the inherited administration and the obstacles created by elements linked to the old regime. Representatives of the branches brought their experience and proposed concrete measures. In the end, a call was made for the PD to remain close to the people, not to lose its simplicity and not to allow power to create distance from the citizen.

Vjen i vathis[?] it is difficult to define oneself at this moment. In this article we are not talking either about the passion or about the political figure, but about the way he is maneuvering in a difficult moment. Mr. Pashko seems to be trying to keep the course high and avoid a crash. Some call his determination pragmatism, others call it wavering, but one thing is clear: he is trying to preserve fragile balances. In economics, in the party, in relations with people, he enters carefully and exits just as carefully. Is that enough? That remains to be seen. But the comparison with a pilot comes naturally: when the plane enters turbulence, there is no room for noise, only for a precise steering wheel. Time will show whether this approach will produce results or only delays.

Letter to the editor If it had not been brought up on 20 June in a way that has been tried only rarely, we would not have paid attention to it, but I am compelled to inform the public about some harmful, unlawful and inhuman actions being carried out in the offices of “Zëri i Popullit”. I am referring to the indiscriminate construction of stands in front of kiosks, the sale of subscriptions in an arbitrary manner, the selection of distributors according to political beliefs, and the treatment of citizens with rude language. [The text continues on page 3] Mr. Shpëtim informed us about new prices and about a kind of monopoly that was being established in newspaper distribution. According to him, numerous complaints also come from people who have paid for the service and have not received it. There are cases in which newspapers are held back and given only to those the counters like. If these things are true, then we are dealing not with a free market, but with a distortion of it. We call on the relevant bodies to verify every fact and take measures.

ENGLISH: KOHA. Independent democratic political and social daily. Tuesday, 30 June 1992. No. 140. Price 2 lek. Page 16. / The peasant cannot give his vote to PS. / Corruption of former PS employees. / The activity of the National Council of the PD held its works. / Profiteering in the office and premises of “ZP”. Letter to the редакtion[?]. / Mr. Pashko acts like a true pilot. ITALIANO: KOHA. Independent democratic political and social daily. Tuesday, 30 June 1992. No. 140. Price 2 lek. Page 16. / The peasant cannot give his vote to PS. / Corruption of former PS employees. / The activity of the National Council of the PD held its works. / Profiteering in the office and premises of “ZP”. Letter to the редакtion[?]. / Mr. Pashko acts like a true pilot.