A promising year for the growth of well-being in Albania Today, the year 1993 has entered the year 1994 and has taken stock of its governance. Experts and government officials have stated that 1993 will be a better year for the Albanian economy, for market stabilization, and for the growth of the population’s well-being. According to assessments, with the entry into force of the reforms launched during 1992, growth in production, improvement in supplies, and expansion of private initiative are expected. Last year marked important steps in the liberalization of the economy, in the creation of a free market, and in opening the country to foreign investment. The government has planned measures to protect the weaker strata, to raise wages and pensions in line with the real possibilities of the budget, and to encourage employment. Emphasis has also been placed on the development of agriculture, on the privatization of enterprises, and on restoring citizens’ confidence. Some specialists consider 1993 a decisive period for emerging from inherited difficulties and for laying the foundations of a functioning economy. However, they stress that the challenges remain great and that success depends on the pace of reforms and on society’s support. (ATSH)

REFORMER WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SOCIALIST SYSTEM! ENVER HOXHA HAD GOOD AND BAD SIDES At the time of the PPSH, the year 1992 will be called the year of the historic turning point. Despite the careful phrasing, he has said aloud what could not be said before. But why now? Why have these truths come so late? Does he feel responsible? Many questions sparked readers’ curiosity, and the well-known Italian journalist Aldo Cazzullo put these questions to former president Ramiz Alia in his interview published in “La Stampa” on 20 December 1992. Just a few days after the publication of the interview, the journalist sent Albanian reporters copies of the Italian translation. According to Mr. Alia, the dictatorship of the proletariat was a “Marxist concept,” but even he had not imagined it as terror. He says that Albania could not have been different from the other socialist countries and that “reforms were made, but within the framework of socialism.” He acknowledges that Enver Hoxha’s period had “good and bad sides,” but adds that history must judge. In part of the interview he speaks about the command economy, isolation, ties with the Soviet Union and China, and the break with them. According to him, in the last years he tried to open the system, but not to overthrow it. Elsewhere in the interview he recalls that at the beginning of the 1990s it became clear that the socialist model had entered into crisis. Nevertheless, he states that the transition had to be made carefully. In this context, he tries to present himself as a reformer within the socialist system. These claims have sparked debate and strong opposition in Albanian public opinion. (ATSH)

On the hunger strike at the oil purification combine In a total, radical, and definitive manner, of the 2,100 employees, 20 of whom signed this statement, it was decided that as of 4.1.1993 the hunger strike would begin in protest against the government’s irresponsibility in solving our problems. 2. The strike will continue until our demands are met. 3. We demand: a) The director’s decision to close the factory be annulled; b) Raw materials be secured; c) Back wages be paid; d) Workers not be dismissed without an alternative solution. 4. If no measures are taken, we will escalate the forms of protest. 5. We sincerely believe that a solution exists and requires only political and administrative will. (ATSH)

Austria sees it as a duty to foster understanding between people and nations The correspondent of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency in Vienna reports that on the occasion of the New Year 1993 celebrations, Austria’s Foreign Minister Alois Mock sent a congratulatory message to the President of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha. In this message he expresses his conviction that relations of friendship and cooperation between the two peoples will continue to develop further in this new year. Minister Mock also expressed Austria’s readiness to contribute to strengthening understanding between people and nations. (ATSH)

A new program for the health service For several days now, a new program for the reorganization of the health service has been under discussion at the leadership levels within the Ministry of Health. The program aims to improve the network of polyclinics, the supply of medicines and equipment, as well as the establishment of new standards in the country’s hospitals. According to official sources, the program provides for decentralization of certain competencies, strengthening the role of the family doctor, and broader cooperation with international organizations. In this framework, special importance is also given to the training of medical personnel. 200 thousand housing apartments will be privatized (ATSH)

SUFFICIENT ASSISTANCE FOR WORKING FAMILIES CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PRIVATE FUND SUFFICIENT ASSISTANCE FOR WORKING FAMILIES Tirana, 5 January. The coldest week of this winter is being passed normally by the families receiving assistance as unemployed in the capital. According to the social assistance office at the municipality, 6,800 families benefited from aid in the month of December. The aid was distributed according to family composition and economic conditions. CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PRIVATE FUND In these first days of the new year, the private aid fund has further increased its contributions to families in need. The assistance includes food, clothing, and other essential materials. (ATSH)

200 thousand housing apartments will be privatized The law on the privatization of housing that was approved by the Council of Ministers states that around 200 thousand apartments will be transferred to citizens at favorable prices. The draft law aims to solve a significant part of the housing problem and to create the legal foundations for private ownership of homes. Beneficiaries will be the families that currently use these apartments and that meet the specified conditions. The procedures for the transfer of ownership will be carried out with simplified documentation. (ATSH)