Today is Republic Day. For a free and happy people like ours, this is not only a significant event, but also a beautiful and joyful day, which it celebrates proudly and with heads held high, with hearts full. The great historic act of January 11, 1946, constitutes a landmark event in the history of our people. If November 29, 1944, gave them freedom, this day gave them the cherished Republic, a people’s republic of workers and peasants. The unanimous votes cast for the People’s Republic by the people’s representatives gathered in the Constituent Assembly expressed the great love that the entire people felt for it. They made real its desire to choose, of its own free will, the form of government it wanted, etc. What happened on January 11, 1946, was not something that came entirely unexpectedly or without warning. Our people and their representatives had for years been «voting» with rifles in their hands, with blood and sacrifices, for the Republic. The generations of Albania had always carried it, gilded, in their dreams, in their long and arduous struggles and wars for freedom and justice. It was founded in accordance with the teachings of the Party and of the unforgettable leader, Comrade Enver Hoxha. Its path begins in Pezë, Labinot, Përmet and Berat; from the time the first foundations of people’s power began to be laid until the formation of the people’s government, when the monarchy of the satrap Zog was banned once and for all and the people were made the power before the entire bourgeois-revisionist world. The outstanding victory of these years is the unbreakable unity of the people with the Party, a unity that springs from shared ideals and the same feelings and interests. In the years of socialism, the people’s lives have become happy and prosperous. No other social order has done, or could do, what socialism has done. «The system we have built,» Comrade Ramiz Alia has said, «knows no exploitation of man by man. Among us there are no rich people living off the backs of workers and peasants, just as there are no poor people living on anyone’s charity. Everyone lives by their own work and sweat. Our socialist society is a just society; it knows no social conflicts or national oppression, and recognizes respect for work, the honest person, the person who does not build their own well-being on someone else’s misfortune. Our powerful unity has been created on the basis of these factors; our socialist order is based on these moral values, and from these spring the rights and duties of the citizen.» The strength of our Republic lies in the people. Everything built in Albania has been and is the work of the masses. Their participation in governing the country is a decisive condition for preserving and continuously strengthening the dictatorship of the proletariat. Here, the working masses exercise power through their elected representatives in representative bodies or directly. All administrative apparatuses and executive bodies are under their daily control and are accountable to the people for everything. But, as the Party once again instructed at the 8th Plenum of the CC, further work must be done to steadily increase the role of the masses and their creative spirit, to further broaden socialist democracy by strengthening the organs of power and workers’ and peasants’ control in every field, and to better harmonize the interests of society, the collective and individuals. The struggle against bureaucratism, routine and every obstructive manifestation or outdated mindset must be waged more vigorously. Our country has entered a new stage of development. The People’s Socialist Republic of Albania is taking new, greater steps along the road of progress. Under these conditions, the Party instructs, we must persistently strive to increase the social productivity of labour and perfect relations in production, and to further improve work organization and management methods. The present moment strongly underscores the need for sounder economic reasoning in order to further increase the efficiency of production. With militancy, per-gj… and creative imagination, we will make our Republic even stronger, richer and more prosperous. Socialist Albania has been and remains independent and sovereign in every respect. It has pursued and pursues a just and peaceful policy that expresses and defends the interests of the people and the Party, the sacred cause of freedom and independence. Our country develops and advances by relying entirely on its own strength, independent of foreign powers or their economic, military and political blocs. It has never held out its hand to anyone and never will, but has trusted and continues to trust its own labour and sweat. The prescriptions of the capitalist road, such as perestroika and bourgeois reformism, are unacceptable to our people and Party. The foreign policy pursued by the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania is one of good neighbourliness and mutual cooperation, faithfully adhering to the principle of respect for independence and sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. Through this policy, it has made and continues to make a worthy contribution as a force for understanding, peace and stability in the Balkans and beyond. This has increased its authority and prestige in the world and earned it the respect of friends, well-wishers and the peoples of the world. The 44th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic is another joyful occasion on which our people once again express their readiness to continue resolutely along the road of socialism, guided by the teachings of the Party and Comrade Ramiz Alia. that it may enjoy world. world.

Geologists Lead - MIRDITË - From the very first day, the geologists are leading with organized work and mobilization, and with ever better fulfilment of their tasks. The geologists are leading from the very first day, with organized work and mobilization, and with ever better fulfilment of their tasks. In Përlat, you can speak with the expedition supervisor, drilling engineer Benard Lleshi, and learn that the drill crews, successfully overcoming the difficulties posed by the current temperatures, achieved 110 percent of their target in the first ten days of January. Each shift fulfils its own task, but also prepares the work front for the next shift. Mobilization, discipline and organization reinforce one another. The expeditions in Tirana, Gurth and Spaç are also moving at an accelerated pace. The enterprise’s chief engineer, Bektash Daja, says that in recent days the entire enterprise has exceeded its daily targets by more than 110 percent. The Hero of Socialist Labour enterprise in Rubik is also leading the other enterprises in the Mirditë district. As for the wood-processing enterprise, although the exact figures for the ten-day period are not yet available, the head of the planning department, Nusha Dudi, says that fulfilment of the targets for this period is assured. What guarantees this? The Orosh sector completed 108 percent of its ten-day target. Gjet Kaza, the sector supervisor, speaking with engineer Preng Nikolli about organizing the work even better, expresses the aim of further increasing fulfilment of the plan’s targets. The workers at the copper smelting plant, who are successfully carrying out the overhaul, aim to make the first shipment of metal after the overhaul on January 24, thereby gaining a day over the schedule—a day of additional production. HALIL BUÇPAPAJ

- GJIROKASTËR - In these first days of the year, milk production is running 2–3 percent above the daily schedule. The good pace of the autumn is being maintained even on these cold days, as shepherds, specialists and managers respond with numerous measures to bring livestock through the winter without losses. The lambing and kidding season is proceeding without problems. It has reached 75 percent for sheep, while for goats it is just beginning, at 10 percent. The new decision of the Council of Ministers has further increased the care taken by shepherds in these parts. Lambs and kids are being given the best possible care so that they can be weaned and distributed to families as soon as possible. The last 15 percent of births, the late ones, the young lambs, will be given entirely to them. A rapid step in implementation

- DURRËS - As the January 11 holiday approaches, and also in order to close the final year of the five-year plan with the greatest possible achievements, the working class of the Durrës district has been moving at new, higher rates from these first days of the year. Among others, the NPV stands out in these first ten days of January. Its targets were fulfilled at 105 percent. It is important to emphasize that this is a good start, as the plan for the first quarter of this year is 2.1 times greater than that of the same quarter of the previous five-year plan. This enterprise is making a strong effort to master seven new models that will be put into production for the domestic market and export, such as corduroy trousers, shirts, jackets, etc. This year, more than 30,000 of the latter will be supplied to the domestic market. At the electrochemical plant too, despite some difficulties, work has got off to a good start, and the targets for the ten-day period were exceeded by more than 30,000 lekë. The furniture factory also exceeded its targets; the tobacco and cigarette factory, the UMB, the cotton-ginning plant, the NSHMN, etc., fulfilled theirs 100 percent a- those. SOTIRAQ GJORDENI

- DURRËS - Ten days have passed in the final year of the five-year plan, and the advanced workers speak of the achievements recorded during this period. The livestock-feed enterprise ranks among the outstanding collectives in the district. It earned this distinction through the good results of the first days of January. It completed last year’s targets a month ahead of schedule. We speak with the director, Irakli Kola, who says: «We have secured a high and steady work rhythm in every department and production line. There is no shortage of raw materials. We have organized the work in such a way that we not only prevent shortages, but also exceed the planned daily schedules. During the first ten days, we supplied 70 tons more combined feed for livestock than the target. Industrial production also exceeded its target by 85,000 lekë. We aim to fulfil the January targets several days ahead of schedule. We are paying particular attention to increasing the range of products and improving their quality. In this way, we are approaching Republic Day with great success.» The fishermen, too, have made a good start to their work this year. The basis for their achievements lies in the continuous strengthening of discipline and some…

- LUSHNJE - Discipline in every work process. But what do the figures so far show? A total of 16 quintals of fish above the ten-day plan have been delivered. In the Karavasta sector, headed by Uani Shtёmbari, the results are more evident. Work schedules are being exceeded. More produce has been supplied to the market and for export. Among the outstanding workers in this sector is the brigade led by communist Vasil Mone, which exceeded its ten-day target by 32 percent. The brigade led by Mina Prençi also stands out for its high productivity. There is plenty of work in the railway district, with goods moving in various directions. Users are in greater need… The loading and unloading sheds operate in three shifts. «We are working at a productivity rate 3 percent higher than the target,» says the director of the railway district, Rrapi Myzeqari. Over the ten-day period, we also exceeded the two main indicators, transport in tonnage and ton-kilometres, by 5 percent. Optimistic figures that embody people’s concern and determination not to leave anything outstanding… the paper factory, the brickworks, the collection enterprise, the food enterprise, etc. SOKRAT NDREÇKA

«We are the Republic» It so happened that I witnessed a scene that made a particular impression on us. We were in one of the apartment buildings on «Ali Pashë Gucia» Street in Tirana. One step ahead of us, an elderly man was climbing the stairs. He stopped in front of a door, pressed the doorbell, and when the lady of the house appeared at the door, he asked: — Does the councillor live here...? — Yes, come in. What can I do for you? — I’d like to speak with him briefly about a problem... We told this story to Servet Sheqi, secretary of the Party’s basic organization for the block. Nodding in agreement, he added: «What you saw was no coincidence. Rifat Vrenezi, a member of the regional people’s council, lives in that home. Residents of the neighbourhood or the block often knock on his door with their problems». Serveti goes on to tell us that this councillor is very active at meetings of the people’s council and in other activities. He is courageous and tireless and, most importantly, he understands and values his duty as a councillor, as a representative of the people’s power. There are others like him throughout the country. Through its finest sons and daughters, elected to various bodies, the people exercise their power, just as they also exercised it directly or through workers’ and peasants’ control. We were told about a meeting of the people’s council of Region No. 3, held a short while ago. A councillor stood up there and strongly criticised the managers of the fruit-and-vegetable trading enterprise for letting dozens of kilos of fruit rot because of their sluggishness. You should have seen those managers account for every detail before the people’s council. There are countless such instances, showing how the people exercise their power and demonstrating its highly democratic character. «In power,» says the talented innovator Avdi Hodaj, «are our sons, our sisters, our mothers, our brothers. We are the power. Since we are the power, we are also the Republic.» Our minds, our sweat Just as the Republic is the will of the people, it is also the fruit of their minds and their sweat. «Do you see this crane?» Edmond Lika said to us at the industrial assembly enterprise in Tirana. «It is the first of its kind in the Republic, with these dimensions.» We looked at its gigantic arms. This 60-ton crane, produced at NMI’s mechanical base, is the work of the talented innovators S. Lufi, N. Kota, Xh. Hani, and A. Bujari. The phrase “the first in the Republic” strikes us, and we remember hearing something like it somewhere else, too. This means that things are moving, that almost every day something new, better, bigger is created; something that is «the first in the Republic» of its kind. In the people’s view, it is precisely this continuous creation that makes up the Republic. It is a gigantic creative endeavour, perfected every day by the minds and golden hands of our people. With Niko Naska, section head at the Executive Committee of the KP of the Tirana District, the conversation turns to the year that has just ended, its achievements and its success. All 48 enterprises in the transport, municipal services, construction and PT system fulfilled their 1989 plan ahead of schedule. «It was a year of suc- (Continued on page 3)

— TIRANA — On the occasion of 11 January, the 44th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, the presidium of the Executive Committee of the KP and the presidium of the Democratic Front of the Tirana District yesterday organized a thematic meeting in one of the halls of the «Enver Hoxha» Museum. Taking part were workers from workplaces and production centres, former partisans, veterans of the war and of labour, deputies and councillors, young people and other guests. Also present were comrade Pirro Kondi, candidate member of the Political Bureau of the Party’s Central Committee and First Secretary of the District Party Committee; comrade Luan Beqiraj, Committee and chairman of the Executive Committee of the District KP; members of the District KP Executive Committee, comrade Luan Beqiraj; members of the Party’s Central Committee, Haxhi Leshi and Jashar Mezelxhiu; the chairman of the presidium of the District People’s Council, Xhemal Tafaj; and other comrades. The event was opened by Omer Haxhila, chairman of the presidium of the District Democratic Front. The deputy chairman spoke about the historical importance of the proclamation of the Republic, the work of the Party and of the glorious and unforgettable leader, comrade Enver Hoxha, in continually strengthening the people’s power, as well as about the working masses’ offensive spirit in carrying out the tasks set by the Party and the instructions of comrade Ramiz Alia path began in Pezë, Labinot, Përmet and Berat, when the first foundations of the people’s power began to be laid, and continued through to the establishment of the people’s government; it began when the good people were forbidden by the kingdom of the tyrant Zog, and the people in power became masters of their own destiny. 11 January 1946 proclaimed and gave legal force to this dream, desire and will of the people. During the 44 years that have passed, our Republic has taken giant strides along the road of development and progress, on the bright path along which the Party leads us. Socialist Albania has today become a developed country, with a powerful economy, modern industry and agriculture. The people’s power has been continually strengthened in an ongoing struggle against exploitation and bureaucratism, liberalism and every other influence.

Yesterday afternoon, a solo exhibition of straw appliqué works by Xhevdet Hamja, a master craftsman at the «Migjeni» artistic enterprise, opened in one of the halls of the National Historical Museum in Tirana. It presents 55 works, reproductions of works by our painters as well as by world-renowned artists, the fruit of 15 years of passionate and talented work. Also present at the ceremony organized for the occasion were the Minister of Light Industry, Vita Kapo; the secretary of the League of Writers and Artists, Petro Koçi; and other comrades and guests. The opening remarks were delivered by the director of the National Historical Museum, Burhan Ciraku. (According to ATSH)

A VIEW OF BARRICADES STREET IN THE CAPITAL. (Photo: N. Xhufka)