-The PDSH program, the basis of achievements to date- -Two questions for members of the Meksi cabinet and a greeting- 1. What ... the best achievements ... during the year ... 2. Which ... objectives ... of 1993, ... remained unrealized...? 3. What is ... New Year 19... ALEKSANDER MEKSI, PRIME MINISTER The achievements of the Democratic Government during 1993 are numerous. But, ... of the year, I would single out the more than 15% increase in agricultural production, along with all the other indicators ... and livestock farming. -Stopping INFLATION and restarting industrial production and growth. -Meeting ... of the food market and ... consumption of ... more goods. -Securing ... food supplies for the coming year. -Starting ... foreign investments and preparing for other new investments, both ... and by Albanian businesspeople. -Building ... the new state with a modern structure and achievements... ...as regards the number of livestock per capita, at around 3.4 million head, a figure never attained by the hated communist regime in 50 years. -At the end of this year there are also around 370,000 head of cows and heifers, all owned by farmers. -Milk production has also reached ... and in some districts of the country this year has exceeded the level of the 1980s. -In 1993 private farmers produced 170,000 tonnes more wheat than in 1992. -In 1992–1993, 4,000 tractors entered Albania through state and private channels. The Has district alone bought 35 tractors on credit during these two years. And some shortcomings... The privatization of agricultural land is 100% ... [illegible], although the figure of around 93% of the area privatized should be considered a success if we bear in mind the very broad social and economic dimensions of land reform, and let us not forget that Hungary began a reform of such dimensions in 1968 and still has not ... ...the privatization of state-owned housing. The Democratic Government made it possible for around 204,000 Albanian urban families to become the legitimate owners of their homes within a year. As a particular achievement, I would also mention the new legislation in the construction sector, where there are now no deadlines, competitions with revolutionary zeal, or ... tenders; instead there are contracts between parties with legal responsibility. -1993 also saw the creation of more than 150 private construction companies, many of which are capable of carrying out public works on a European scale and to European standards. -What was not fully achieved in 1993 was legislation for the transfer of the municipal sector into private hands; I would single out the water supply system, which remains our primary objective for 1994. We are working on it. -More funds from abroad should have been secured, especially for the construction of additional state housing and new water supply systems. My New Year’s wish for builders is this: -May they present themselves creditably in the tenders to build the new public works in Albania as beautifully as possible. DHIMITER ANAGNOSTI, MINISTER OF CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS -This year we held a series of nationwide activities, among which stood out Theatre Week, film festivals, several exhibitions of visual arts, and we ended the year with the distinguished RTSH Festival show. By bringing together all the country’s best artistic forces this year, we increased our presence in the eyes of Europe and the world. -For 1994, given the country’s difficult economic situation, culture is the sector in which somewhat more must be invested than has been invested so far. -I hope that people of art and culture will make their profession a FAITH IN THE NATIONAL CAUSE. Let us preserve the artist’s ideal, in opposition to communist philosophy. EDMOND SPAHO, MINISTER OF TOURISM: -We were successful in 1993 in concluding two very important contracts, “Rogner” and Hotel “Tirana”. -And then the “Al-Karafit” hotel and the now-completed project for the tourist village of Golem. Any shortcomings? -We did not manage to conclude the contracts for completing the tourist area of Kasmil. -For New Year 1994, I hope there will be as few complaints as possible from foreign and domestic tourists about conditions in our hotels, where water and electricity are often lacking, and there are also no reliable telephones, etc. The fewer complaints there are, the happier we tourism workers will be. (Continued on page 2) - Ensuring food supplies for the coming year. - Starting foreign loans and extending [loans?] for other new investments, both from foreigners and from businessmen... [?] - Building the ... [?] of the state... [?] with a completely modern structure and achievements [?] that would distinguish the ownership [?] according to government ... - Nevertheless, the two ... [?], foreign investment and the privatization process have progressed slowly, problems that should be given attention by the coming government... [?] - Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish all Albanians, wherever they may be, including abroad, a Happy New Year 1994, wishing you a prosperous year full of ... [?] in all fields. ALFRED SER... [?], MINISTER OF F... [?] AFFAIRS: - The achievements of our foreign policy [?] during this year have been great. The foreign policy of the Democratic Government [?] has been ... [?], open and constructive, and we will ... [?] for the nation’s ... - Everything has been based on the basic principles of reciprocity and respect for all those who ... [?] the resolution of our national question. - We have worked to accelerate Albania’s integration into Europe. - Another achievement is the successful implementation of the transformative reforms with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs... [?] - In all these important activities, the joint effort has been not only that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but also of Parliament, the President... [?] of the Republic and the Democratic Government... [?], and so on more broadly. HASAN HALILI, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD: - The year 1993 marked a considerable increase in the number of livestock... [?] sheep and cattle. ... [?] This is fully borne out by the fact that last year Democratic Albania ... [?] the year 1938, which is... [?] ...considered a success if we take into account of this scale in 1968 and has still not completed it entirely. - Also this year, we did not do what needed to be done to increase the production of pork and eggs. However, Government decision no. 510 to privatize the existing pig- and poultry-rearing complexes will significantly improve the situation in 1994. What would you wish Albanian farmers? - I would wish Albanian farmers to consolidate the positive achievements of 1993 during 1994, build on them, and find ways to cooperate with one another to create associations of private farms under the guidance of specialists in their village or neighborhood. This is the only way to preserve private ownership of the land while increasing mechanization, chemical treatment and ... AGRON MUSARAJ, MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER - I consider the significant decrease in the number of crimes to be the greatest achievement of 1993: compared with 1992, there were around 3,200 fewer cases. - As for what we have not achieved, I would say that despite our good intentions, the criminal police have still not been made operational, and their work will play a primary role in minimizing crime. - Here, on behalf of the Minister’s Cabinet, I wish all members of the law-enforcement forces, together with their families, wherever they may be, and one another ... [?], greater SENSITIVITY, DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONAL... [?] ALISM. Happy 1994! ILIR MANUSHI, MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION: A joyful [year] for everyone and ... [?] More funds must be secured from abroad, [jesjesve]. My wish for the builders is this: —That they present themselves worthily in the competition which the Week of Theatres, film festivals, several visual arts exhibitions, and we ended the year with the distinguished spectacle of the RTSH Festival stood out. By activating all the best national artistic forces during Europe and the world. —For 1994, bearing in mind which somewhat more must be invested than has been the case until now. SPAHO, MINISTER OF TOURISM: —The successful achievements of 1993 were the conclusion of village of Golem. Any shortcomings? —The contracts for completing the tourist area of Kasmil were not concluded. conditions in our hotels, where very often there is no water or electricity, and, moreover, there are no reliable telephone services, workers will be. (Continued on page 2)

The European Community, one of the main donors of aid to Albania, will continue its support for the country in 1994 as well. Implementation of the PHARE program and support for the balance of payments will be among the main areas of its activity in our country. Sources at the Ministry of Economy informed ATSH that for 1994 the EC has allocated emergency aid of 10 million ECU to Albania, which will be used mainly for education, the construction of housing for former political prisoners, healthcare, etc. The humanitarian aid that the European Community has allocated to Albania since 1991, the year the EC began its activities in Albania, amounts to 135 million ECU. During 1993, the European Community’s activity in Albania focused on three main areas: specifically, implementation of the PHARE program, for which around 30 million ECU was put into operation; support for the balance of payments of around 70 million ECU; and food aid. These funds will continue to be provided in the coming year as well.

“During ’93, more than 200 foreign companies came to our country to make various investments, including many well-known names worldwide such as Coca-Cola, Simens, Ital-Trade, Rogner, etc.,” Shpartak Kerkezi, a specialist at the Albanian Center for the Promotion of Foreign Investment, told ATSH. “The sectors that have attracted foreign investors and where work has begun are light industry and the production of construction materials, apart from cement,” Mr. Kerkezi added, singling out the production of clothing and shoes as successful. Interest is also being shown in the textile industry. It is noted that a large share of investments by foreign companies have been made in agreements with state enterprises, and another considerable share with Albanian private businesses. More than 15,000 people are employed in these commercial partnerships.

ELBASAN—“Today Elbasan has around 1,800 private commercial businesses and kiosks, which have employed 8,000 private-sector workers,” Idajet Bardhi, head of the trade-industry department at the city municipality, informed ATSH. Mr. Bardhi added that requests to open private commercial businesses and kiosks continue to come in and some have been approved, but the municipality is now concerned with arranging them in accordance with urban-planning regulations.

TIRANA—A few days ago, the Council for the Regulation of Albania’s Territory approved the request by the Tirana District Council for Territorial Regulation to widen the Tirana–Durrës road. An ATSH correspondent learned at the Ministry of Construction that the project, drawn up by Design Institute No. 2, provides for the new Tirana–Durrës road to allow four vehicles to pass side by side, meaning it will be twice as wide as the existing road. There will also be a median barrier separating the two lanes in each direction, which will greatly ease vehicle traffic. The project for the first five kilometers has now been completed, for which the government has allocated a fund of 4.2 million dollars; separate projects will be drawn up for the remaining stretches of this road toward the cities of Durrës and Tirana. Work is expected to begin very soon, because the joint Italian-Albanian company EUROTEMA won the tender announced for this purpose.

-The German government has sent a team of experts Shkodër—A team of four German experts went yesterday to the railway station at Bajzë in Shkodër and inspected on site the condition of the expired pesticides, which have been kept in storage in 17 railway wagons since the beginning of last year. The team was sent by the German government with the task of repackaging the pesticides, which have been kept in the wagons for a long time,

Carrying out the great projects of the future in the fields of transport and telecommunications requires just over 100 million dollars. The director of the Economic Directorate at the Ministry of Transport, Ali Dedaj, told ATSH that his ministry had secured this funding from the World Bank, the European Bank, and various financial organizations from Kuwait, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, etc. This funding will be used mainly to improve the infrastructure of the port of Durres, implement the master plan of Albanian Telecom, reconstruct Rinas Airport, and pave around 70 km of roads.

Erseke—The privatization of the NB-plants in Kolonje district is nearing completion, the head of the district branch of the agency for privatizing NB-plants, Ramazan Mehalla, told ATSH. There were four NB-plants in this district, and distribution of the land at all four was completed in September. The planned 1,180 ha of land have been distributed. Another 450 ha remain undistributed; this land had been set aside for specialists, but they have refused to take it because it is unproductive. All the livestock and agricultural machinery belonging to the four NB-plants have been sold, as have 50% of the various buildings. The sales have brought 19,614,000 lekë into the state budget.

Shkoder—A team of four German experts went yesterday to the railway station at Bajze in Shkoder and inspected on site the condition of the expired pesticides. Shkoder—A station at Bajze in Shkoder which have been stored in 17 sent by the German government to repack the pesticides, whose packaging has been damaged during their long stay in the wagons, making them dangerous to the environment and to the lives of people in the surrounding area. According to Agron Ramadani, director of the Bajze railway station, the team members, who left Bajze yesterday, will return during January to begin the actual work of repacking the expired pesticides. As is known, our government has repeatedly requested that they be removed and taken back to their country of origin.

Tirane—The Grand Park, also known as Tirana’s park, will be preserved and further expanded. This was decided a few days ago by the Council for the Regulation of the Territory of Albania, which, at the request of the Tirana Municipal Council for Territorial Regulation, approved the full study by the Institute of Urban Planning for the future of this 256-hectare green space. Edi Joxhe of the Ministry of Construction told ATSH that the main principle of the study is to preserve the greenery and disturb it as little as possible. The buildings planned for construction will be functional and will serve the character of the park. Only a few buildings are envisaged in the area: two hotels, perhaps a restaurant, playgrounds, etc. Through a network of new roads, areas behind the artificial lake that are currently unused will also be included in the park. The reopening and operation of the botanical garden, the reconstruction and improvement of the zoological garden, and a new plant nursery, which is expected to begin operating in the future, will also serve this purpose.

A few days ago, the Council for the Regulation of the Territory of Albania partially approved the request submitted by the Kavaje Council for Territorial Regulation to expand the city’s yellow line. A few days ago, partially approved the request submitted by the Kavaje Council for Territorial Regulation to expand the city’s yellow line. Spokesperson Edi Joxhe and a specialist at the Ministry of Construction told ATSH that the decision concerns including an area of around 50 ha at the entrance to the city, currently vacant, which offers all the prerequisites for a contemporary urban-planning study. This will give the city of Kavaje more room to breathe. As for the remaining part included in the request, it was decided that it would be urgently reviewed at the end of this month, on the basis of a detailed regulatory plan. This part includes an area that is almost entirely occupied by earlier construction, which will make its urban-planning study costly; however, although it is an urban area, it must be included within the city’s yellow line. Such a decision is expected to address the many housing requests made by residents of Kavaje. In the municipality of this city, around 2,000 applications have been made for private homes alone.

THE WOUNDS OF DEMOCRACY Reply by Mr. Sadik Bekteshi to the open letter published in “ZP” on 7.12.1993.