HOW JANUARY’S TARGETS ARE BEING MET Transport workers at the forefront Workers in the transport sector in the district of Shkodër have intensified their mobilization at work in recent days. In this way, they are placing their activity more effectively at the service of the economy, making a valuable contribution to the fulfillment of the plans of production enterprises. The collective of the freight depot is a case in point: it is working to exceed its January target by 100,000 ton-kilometers. To this end, the experience of the tireless drivers Fadil Aliballi, Ndoc Kola, Mark Bajama, Shaban Sula, and others is being disseminated. The workers of the industrial depot and those of the trade depot are also at the forefront of the work; from the first days of January until now, they have been steadily meeting their targets in tons and ton-kilometers. The drivers of the trade depot are demonstrating their commitment through their work supplying goods to trading enterprises and their units. Their readiness to carry out this task as well as possible is also reflected in the vehicle-utilization rate, which has reached 100 percent in recent days. The water-transport enterprise had never fulfilled its planned targets. The understanding shown to it by the mining enterprise has meant that in recent days the water-transport targets have been met and even exceeded. They have set themselves the task of transporting around 50 more tons of copper ore every day from Palaj to Vau i Dejës. In this way, they are also making up for the shortfalls recorded in the first days of January. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

From time to time, the Party has drawn attention to the meaning of, and practical implementation of, cadres’ accountability before the masses. In general, this norm of particular importance has been correctly assessed. Its effect has been fruitful. By giving account, both cadres and the masses have benefited mutually. In particular, this practice has brought greater agility and dynamism to work methods and to finding mechanisms for solving problems. However, in the course of work, the same understanding and concern for this issue are not found everywhere or at all times. Some personnel offices (and some cadres themselves) have bureaucratized it. Naturally, the issue here is not to generalize about this evil, which must be fought forcefully and continuously. For example, managers and administrative employees, Party members elected and unelected to forums at the “Misto Mame” wood-processing combine, the Tirana chemical enterprise, the construction enterprise and the “Çlirimi” agricultural enterprise in Fier, etc., have given account ... Of great importance here is not formalism, on which some base the process (setting the date, day and month when the collective will meet and an account will be given), but a serious concern to discuss openly and thoroughly with the workers, to go among them modestly, with the thought that one has something to learn from others. Otherwise, when one goes to give an account merely to comply with bureaucratic plans, a cold atmosphere is created, in which no one feels encouraged to make a suggestion or a criticism, or to find a mechanism that would help raise productivity, quality, exports, or implement the austerity regime... There are cases in which some cadres are inclined to think: “Let us give an account, but also have a real debate.” The point, however, is that at a very large meeting it is not possible to give an account and hold a real debate at the same time. It would take hours to achieve this, and even then it would be difficult to make the debate useful. Considering the annual shortfalls and losses borne by the mass of workers and cooperative members, and the fact that in the first days of January some combines, mines and factories began to report deficits—especially in certain items—here and there people are reporting poverty, arbitrary actions, lack of cooperation between ministries, and lapses of conscience. Therefore, above all, cadres, basic organizations and Party committees, and trade-union organizations are called upon to develop a sounder understanding and to implement more concretely the practice of accountability before the masses. You are a cadre in this or that ministry, but what contacts have you established, what accounts have you given, and what lessons have you drawn, when, despite having been criticized, you dictated the plan to others from your office in order to make the balance sheet look good; when, despite workers having rebuked you, you again brought in poor-quality materials or did not bring them at all...? It is a known fact that cadres give account every day through their conduct and their good example in organizing and directing work. The masses look them in the eye and respect them when they are devoted and conscientious. And to go to the people’s council, the trade-union council, or a meeting with the people of a neighborhood or village means going prepared; it means calling attention to the things people have written in their notebooks and to which you previously pledged yourself; it means speaking openly and without fear about the obstacles and the damage caused by your own people and your collaborators in your ministry or another ministry. You may get away with it once, twice, but not a third time. The masses will not tolerate or accept empty promises, fudged figures or excuses. Practice shows that none of these things speeds up construction of a project or a new production line, or meets citizens’ needs for construction materials, consumer goods, and so on. A capable and talented cadre and organizer is one who calculates the returns before spending time; who, before requesting investment, struggles and works to make full use of all existing production capacity; and who, before requesting foreign currency for imports, ensures that so-called technological waste is put to use. Inspired by these lessons of the Party, cadres’ accountability must become more acceptable and tangible in work methods and style, and in the sense of political responsibility for the task entrusted by the people and the Party. Administrative staff, elected and unelected communists in forums at the «Misto Mamë» the «Çlirimi» state agricultural farm in Fier, etc., do not wait for others to tell them: «go and account to the people». A meeting in a department, factory or brigade, a warm discussion of problems that need to be solved, combined with appropriate organization, authority and sincere criticism of managers or subordinates, is a way of rendering account. It is not true. To achieve this aim, many hours would be needed, and even then it would be difficult to hold this discussion to good effect. Given the annual failures and losses of the agricultural enterprises of Tirana, Krujë and Mat, and of several chrome mines, we can say that the accountability of management cadres, from the grassroots to the district, is sometimes handled formally, officially and bureaucratically. We cannot say that some cadres understand this essential rule in its true sense (that is, rendering account and being accountable to tho- At the same time, they render account and engage in debate every day through their conduct and good example in organizing and directing work. The people are devoted and conscientious. And vice versa... There is no dividing wall in relations between cadres and the people. Problems are understood and resolved through unity of thought and action, always on the understanding that the masses are not merely implementers of directives but, above all, a creative force. But to go and render account to the grassroots organization, at the plenum, in the bureau of the Party commit- ...bring anything at all...? The fact is that cadres render account and directing work. The people the plenum, in the bureau of the Party commit-

- SKRAPAR - Only a few days have passed since Comrade Ramiz Alia’s speech at the meeting with the workers’ collective of the “Enver Hoxha” Auto-Tractor Combine in Tirana, and in the district of Skrapar a new pace of work and effort is being set to advance achievements, especially the targets for January. Among them, let us say a few words about the livestock breeders, who, as we learned from the district agriculture section, have delivered 103 quintals of milk above the 20-day plan. Efforts have increased particularly during the past week, when around 10 quintals more than the norm have been collected each day. Of the 19 agricultural economies, 17 have met and exceeded their targets. Which ones are ahead? At the forefront are those of the Vërzhezhë agricultural cooperative, which fulfilled its milk-production plan for the entire month on January 20. Good things should also be said about the livestock breeders of Radesh, who have so far produced 15 quintals above the planned amount, as well as those of Veleshnjë, Grepckë, Çepan, etc. Constant care has been taken to ensure a food base for every head of livestock, avoiding extremes: neither excessive economizing nor waste, but rational use in accordance with the production balance. The same can be said of the raising of sheep and goats. So far, around 12 thousand healthy lambs have been added to the flocks of agricultural economies across the district. ASLLAN SARACI

- GJIROKASTËR - Everything that the Party has inspired and continues to inspire is aimed at improving the people’s living standards, in the city and in the countryside. Achievements in production demonstrate and give material form to this. Only 22 days have passed in the year; some indicators are not yet available, but many can already be measured. The milk schedule is exceeded by around 15 quintals every day, the vegetable schedule is exceeded, and in recent days the same has been true of eggs. These are agricultural successes, but everyone feels them in the satisfactory state of the market. To make it even better, work is also being put in place to increase greenhouse production. Measures have been taken and 5 hectares of new greenhouses are being built, which will expand the variety of produce, including during the difficult periods of the cold season. In the countryside, this improvement in living standards is also the aim of good and expanding work to strengthen the collective plot, and of the implementation of the new Council of Ministers’ decision to meet the people’s needs for meat. Shaban Frengu, director of the trade enterprise for purchasing and sales, says that the work of the cooperative farmers has inspired them—the trade workers—as well. Compared with this period last January, 10 quintals more food products, 50 percent more citrus fruit and olives, and 10,000 more knitted garments have been put on the market, along with more industrial goods such as kitchen utensils, glassware, etc. Turnover has also increased by 10 percent. We are responding to the state of the market with a higher standard of service, more convenient opening hours for village residents, and a better understanding of the people’s needs. January has begun well. Its pace will continue to follow the year’s growth. THANAS DINO

- GRAMSHI - Industrial production across the district for the 20-day period reached 104 percent; export products, 100 percent; public and community services, 103 percent. ... has taken the lead among the other collectives of enterprises and has fulfilled the 20-day targets at 118 percent, while meeting each individual item exactly as planned. At this pace of work—that is, by fulfilling each month’s targets two or three days ahead of schedule—all of them have the potential to eliminate the deficit. That this is possible with persistence alone is also shown by the fact that all enterprises in the district’s industrial system have set themselves the task of fulfilling this year’s total industrial production 15 days ahead of schedule, and export production 10 days earlier. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

103 percent, etc. It is worth noting that even those enterprises that fell short last year, such as NPD, intend, alongside meeting this year’s targets, to make up at least some of last year’s deficit. This is being achieved first and foremost by making it clear to all workers that shortfalls from the previous year should not be considered “gone and forgotten.” This collective, which in recent days has...

To ensure high-quality acquisition of knowledge and raise the standard of the educational process, priority has also been given in the schools of the Sarandë district to further enriching the teaching and learning-material base. Since the beginning of this school year, teachers’ collectives everywhere have undertaken an initiative to improve and enrich the material base, a process that is being intensified throughout the second semester. Good work is being done to secure as many teaching aids as possible for social-science subjects such as history, geography, moral and political education, etc. Recently, the district’s pedagogical office also opened an exhibition of 90 teaching aids for these subjects, prepared by teachers’ collectives from various schools in the district. Models, relief maps, maps, moving aids, etc. demonstrate the creative imagination and persistent work of the teachers and students themselves, as well as their efforts to ensure that these materials are properly and immediately understood in the classroom. (According to ATSH) IN ONE OF THE FACTORIES OF THE “STALIN” TEXTILE COMBINE. (Photo: N. Xhufka)

Inspired by Comrade Ramiz Alia’s words at the meeting with workers of the «Enver Hoxha» autotractor combine in Tirana, during the past week and on Sunday, 28,000 young workers, cooperative members and schoolchildren from the Vlora district worked with an offensive spirit on seasonal tasks in orchards and on several other fronts. Members of the BR of the Seaside and volunteers at the olive-action center in Dhërmi exceeded their target for olive harvesting and tending the olive groves by 15 percent. 13,000 young men and women, workers and schoolchildren, worked in the olive-grove belt around the city of Vlora. 7,000 young men and women—workers, cooperative members and school pupils—in the Lezhë district worked the soil around the groves on Sunday, covering 18,000 olive trees and around 12 hectares planted with fruit trees and vineyards. The young people of the Kallmit and Zegjmen agricultural cooperatives, the city’s agricultural economics secondary school and the school in Ishull-Lezhë distinguished themselves through their achievements. During and after the action, cultural and sporting activities were organized, serving to provide the young people with rest and cultural recreation. Moral and material incentives were awarded to those who distinguished themselves most. (According to ATSH)

The conflicts and internal contradictions that have erupted with such force in the Soviet Union have called Gorbachev’s perestroika into question and are increasingly challenging his position. Gorbachev himself acknowledged this when he visited Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. At this difficult time, Gorbachev is feeling the support and encouragement of the West ever more strongly. U.S. President Bush reiterated his support for the Soviet leadership’s domestic policy in recent days. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Thatcher and French President Mitterrand, at a meeting between them in Paris two days ago, said that, in the current situation in the Soviet Union, they fully support Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s efforts to keep power in his hands. As can be seen, Gorbachev and his ruling group in the Kremlin have won the West’s sympathy and trust. This admiration and sympathy are due, first and foremost, to the capitalist reform processes that began in Moscow and spread rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. The «credit» for realizing this aspiration of the West belongs to the Gorbachev group, which accelerated these reforms and also had a considerable influence on allied countries. Therefore, in these difficult circumstances for him, the West repays him with its support for continuing them at the pace set for the perestroika process. But that is not all. As Thatcher and Mitterrand also declared at their recent meeting in Paris, «the preservation of the internal situation in the Soviet Union decisively determines the further reform processes in the other countries of Eastern Europe». This, too, is a reason why the West supports Gorbachev and his perestroika. SOKOL GJOKA

• ACCOUNTABILITY OF CADRES: DIRECT AND EFFECTIVE (p. 1). • THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE, THE MARKET DEMANDS IT, BUT ORGANIZATION IS NOT CLEARING THE WAY (p. 2). • «KOSOVO» HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A GREAT COURTROOM, WHERE THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE ARE CONDEMNED (p. 4).