ECHOES OF COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA’S SPEECH The open meeting of the organization — A conversation with a secretary of the Party’s basic organization at the «Dinamo» plant — “Something unusual happened today with my workmates,” begins Hasan Dardha, secretary of the Party’s basic organization in the assembly department at the «Dinamo» plant. “Several people stopped me to ask when we would meet to discuss the 9th Plenum. I told them to read it all first, then we would find a time to talk things through calmly. There’s a reason for that: there isn’t a single line in which we don’t see ourselves. “—And you, as an organization secretary, where do you feel it most? “—In every line—as a worker, a communist and a secretary. Still, let’s pause for a moment: the open meetings. Comrade Ramiz puts it well. We seem to have had a kind of pointless hesitation about these meetings. We invite four or five people. ‘Careful, don’t let too many come and break the rules!’ Instead of seeing how much debate takes place at such a meeting, how responsibility is assumed, how duties are reported on, and what level the decisions being considered have reached, we focus on something exceptional that does not fit the vanguard role. Those who are not communists will also listen and have their say about everything. In this way, the masses’ access to information is raised to a higher level. And not only that: the problems and ways of resolving them become better known. At the same time, everyone is more effectively mobilized in practice. Then… then every communist knows that they will be openly called to account both for their own work, its merits and shortcomings, and for their courage to engage in self-criticism and criticism—fully social and communist—and to freely express a well-informed opinion that will help further increase productivity and production and eliminate bureaucratic or liberal practices. “Of course, this makes it possible to assess more maturely what has been done well and what badly, what should be opposed and what should be supported, upheld and generalized. In special cases, we held open meetings even before. And the benefits of that show that the Party has great confidence in workers and the masses, in our words and opinions. This makes us more responsible for every duty we have, as workers and citizens. Secondly, it blocks every other kind of trickery: it puts an end to the practice of a director holding the post for a very long time. Such cases have occurred and still do. Worse still is when a director is removed for incompetence from one enterprise and sent to another, with people saying, ‘That’s what the nomenklatura decided…’ The instructions of the 9th Plenum will put an end to favoritism and personal connections, and above all to subjective, sentimental attitudes in the appointment and assignment of cadres.” “—We will have the choice of director in our hands,” interjects Fatime Shpata, a communist and worker in the packaging department. “That means we would choose for the post the most dedicated, hardworking, demanding and approachable cadre. Two or three people might make proposals subjectively, but a whole collective of more than 900 employees, like ours, will undoubtedly offer a mature opinion. Besides, it is understood that the masses choose a working person to lead them. And are there such people? Plenty, in every enterprise—in every large or small collective. Not only here; there are people in every enterprise who meet the requirements for this position.” Worker Fatime Shpata continues: “If the enterprise isn’t doing well, that shows either that we did not know how to choose the director or that we did not help him carry out his duties properly. I think the second is precisely the main thing. When we choose the director ourselves, from among the collective, there is something else too: he knows us, and we know him well. That means we can communicate more freely and directly with him about production problems and our own concerns. He will resolve them better because he has been and remains closer to us. SEJDIN CEKANI of Comrade Ramiz. We have somehow had an unnecessary timidity about these meetings. We invite 4–5 people. Be careful, lest there be too many and the rules be broken! Instead of seeing how much debate takes place at this meeting, how much responsibility is taken, are, we keep our minds elsewhere. — But where do you see the benefit of such a meeting of the organization? — We are 15 communists, but the department has 136 employees. One thing is clear: the collective has been and remains interested in the problems discussed and decided upon by the organization. As I said, there are 15 of us. That means you have to prepare better, because many employees who are not communists will come. It means feeling greater responsibility for the task, as a communist and as a secretary, for the opinions and suggestions you put forward. All the more so for the decisions that will be made together. Only serious advance preparation gives you the opportunity to guide the debate in the right direction, to criticize frankly, to help your comrades, a bureaucratic or liberal. Of course, in this way one can see more maturely what has been done well and what has been done backed and generalized. On special occasions, we have also held open meetings less often. And their benefits have been quite tangible, but now they will become commonplace and will be, as Comrade Ramiz Alia emphasized at the 9th Plenum, a school not only for Communists, but also for the working masses... — Do the workers need to come to the organization meeting? — Surely they do, because they hold the Party dear and respect the organization. But perhaps we, the Communists, need them more than they need us. They are progressive, tireless and modest. If you knew them, you would agree with me. How valuable their word is when they are invited to the organization! Their opinion carries weight because the example they set carries so much weight. The Party now emphasizes once again that we should also choose the enterprise director ourselves. A very good thing. First,

. At the home of Rexhep Cama, in Margegaj of Tropojë, we climbed the stairs to the highland oda, the men’s room, as it is traditionally called here. The topic was the day’s event—the opening remarks by Comrade Ramiz at the 9th Plenum, and his reference precisely to this form of practicing democracy. Rexhepi, the homeowner, is a veteran communist. In these odas he has often campaigned for the Party’s word and directives. “Would you like me to tell you the story of how our cooperative was formed?” Rexhepi continues. “The Party Committee guided us, the village communists, to use discussions about joining the cooperative in the farmers’ odas, organized by neighborhood. On March 26, 1956, the Party Committee team met in Shaban Shpati’s oda. The whole neighborhood gathered there. They explained what the Party wanted. Then,” Rexhepi says, “we held a meeting in our neighborhood, the Dedaj neighborhood, at Ramë Tahiri’s oda. There, too, it was decided to join the cooperative. On March 28, we met in the men’s room at Brahim Mani’s. That is how our cooperative was for-formed. The foundations of the cooperative are in these odas. “The highland oda, as an institution of democracy, has not stood still. It has become more democratic and has taken on new problems as times have changed. Some time ago we visited the home of Sadri Rustemi. In the men’s room we listened to the television. We watched the 8 p.m. news, and afterward the discussion began. People of all ages were in that oda: Sadriu’s daughters and sons, and the village youths Islam Mustafa, Ibrahim Muça, and others. Hysni Osmani, secretary of the Party Committee, was there too. An interesting discussion took place about ways to deal with the village’s supply problems. They spoke sincerely, without putting on airs…

Edlira Baraj, chief engineer of the «Ali Kel-mendi» food-processing combine in Tirana, is only 26 years old. She has been out of university for no more than three and a half years, but the workers say she is capable and skilled in her job. When we ask her impressions of Comrade Ramiz Alia’s speech at the 9th Plenum, Edlira emphasizes one aspect of it: the Party’s support for young cadres. “On other occasions too, but especially at this important Party Plenum, all the young cadres who are work- (Continued on page 2) (Photo: N. Xhuka)

The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Comrade Ramiz Alia, sent the following congratulatory telegram to the President of the Republic of India, Ramasamy Venkataraman: “It is a pleasure for me, on the occasion of India’s national holiday, on behalf of the Albanian people, the Presidium of the People’s Assembly and myself, to send you warm greetings and to convey to the Indian people my best wishes for progress and prosperity.” (ATSH)

Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Mesut Jillmaz, received the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Muhamet Kapllani, and held a very warm and friendly conversation with him. Mesut Jillmaz expressed his pleasure at the visit of the Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister to Turkey and noted the respect and sincere friendship that the Turkish people feel for the Albanian people, which continues to grow stronger. He said that Turkey attaches particular importance to the further development of comprehensive relations with Albania. (Continued on page 4)

Talks were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey between Muhamet Kapllani, of Albania, and Tugal Ozçel, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. During the talks, the deputy minis- (Continued on page 4)

Yesterday, Sokrat Plaka, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, set off on an official visit to Greece. Yesterday, Sokrat Plaka, of Albania, set off on an official visit to Greece. At the Kakavijë border crossing, he was received by Evgenio Haxhidhis, the secretary-general of the Epirus region. In the evening, Deputy Foreign Minister Sokrat Plaka arrived in Athens, where he was received by Aleksandër Rafael, Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as by Spiridon Dokianos, Greece’s ambassador in Tirana, and Izedin Hajdini, Albania’s ambassador in Athens. (ATA)

1. Many people in Korçë were drawn to a middle-aged man with a cane who, all day long, for a whole month, wandered through all the characteristic neighborhoods of the city. He would stand for hours in front of houses in Korçë and draw their railings, doors and iron crescents. He was not a painter, but a retired engineer from Shkodër who was spending his “holiday” at the rest home in Korçë. His name is Asim Gruda. He is disabled, with a wooden leg, but has a will of iron. He has traveled all over Albania and drawn and collected all that rare beauty which ironworkers have wrought over the centuries into doors and railings, window grilles and balustrades, door han- Description Korçë.

handles of doors and well rails, cemeteries and lampshades... even the tools with which folk craftsmen made these national treasures, even the names and home villages of the craftsmen, from the last century to the present day. It is a collection that brings pleasure and emotion to look at. At the same time, it inspires esteem and respect for this man who, while working as an engineer throughout the country, was a distinguished innovator, and who, after his accident, despite having one leg (and walking on that leg with the help of a cane), keeps moving, working and collecting because, as he puts it, he has become «passionate» about Albanian ironwork. Anyone who becomes acquainted with his collection is convinced that he is leaving future generations a valuable document, because many of these exquisite ironworks are disappearing as a result of cities’ urban development plans. Asim wants to publish his collection as a book of its own, and that would be a very beautiful and very necessary thing for future generations, indeed even for people today, because the collection also includes drawings and descriptions of the «methods» by which the master craftsmen of old—the Albanian craftsmen, renowned even abroad—made iron sing in their hands. For there, in his collection, Asim’s craftsmen come from Albanian castles, pass through bazaars and cemeteries, enter houses (Continued on page 3)

On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the founding of the Albanian State Bank and the 20th anniversary of the Agricultural Bank, a jubilee meeting was held in the halls of the Palace of Culture in the capital. Employees of the General Directorate of the State Bank, the Agricultural Bank and their regional branches, veterans, employees of ministries and central institutions, economists, financiers, etc., took part. Comrades P. Miska, Pirro Kondi, Ilambi Gergifili, Qirjako Mihalli, and others were also present. On behalf of the Party’s Central Committee, the Council of Ministers and the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Ramiz Alia addressed those present, greeted the participants and wished them success and victories.

(Photo: N. Xhuka)

The developments before us have made it imperative to further invigorate the driving forces of our social system, above all by deepening the mass line and perfecting the mechanism of the economy.

● ECHOES OF COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA’S WORDS (p. 1). ● NOW, AFTER A YEAR: REWARDS FOR EXCEEDING TARGETS (p. 2). HOW THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORY WAS APPOINTED (p. 3). ● THE PEOPLE OF YOUR COUNTRY ARE HARD-WORKING, WELL-EDUCATED AND CHEERFUL (p. 4).

FROM THE WRITERS’ BLOCK