Yesterday morning, in the hall of the Academy of Sciences in the capital, the “8 Nëntori” Publishing House presented the book “What Kosovars Say and What They Seek.” Writers, historians, employees of scientific and cultural institutions and publishing houses, lecturers and students from the “Enver Hoxha” University of Tirana, and other guests took part in the ceremony organized on this occasion. Also present were the vice-president of the Academy of Sciences, Prof. Hekuran Mara, and other comrades. The ceremony was opened by the director of the “8 Nëntori” Publishing House, docent Xhemal Dini, who said, among other things, that the publication of the book “What Kosovars Say and What They Seek,” which came off the press and was recently put into circulation, is of very great importance, since it helps clarify the situation and the problems over which the blood of our Albanian brothers is being shed. Through the writings, interviews and conversations of Kosovo’s most prominent intellectuals, the book expresses their great intellectual courage in exposing injustice and national discrimination, their profound sense of responsibility for the nation’s destiny, and the wisdom with which they suggest a way out of the crisis. Prof. Dhimitër Shuteriqi then took the floor. “I would call this book,” he said, among other things, “the book of great sorrow, but also of magnificent bravery; it is also a book of remarkable wisdom.” It is a book of great sorrow because the writings of some of the best-known Kosovo intellectuals collected in it—such as those of Rexhep Qosja and Ibrahim Rugova, Xhekeria Cana and Agim Vinca, Ali Aliu and other scholars, writers, artists, and even schoolteachers—contain a part of the tragic history of our Albanian brothers in Kosovo, of their resistance to Serbian chauvinism, which even now is bearing down on them and on the people of Kosovo. This book, he went on, is filled with acts of bravery, such as appeals, beginning with that of the 215, petitions, protests, articles and interviews. Its writings speak not only of the tragedy Kosovo is suffering, but also of the tragedies of Yugoslavia in general—in other words, of bloodshed as an everyday occurrence. It takes extraordinary courage, as a Kosovar, to speak about these things and denounce them. For this, the peoples of Yugoslavia can be especially grateful to the Albanians there, as well as to their outstanding Albanian writers. The policy of violence and genocide against the Albanians is today being “justified” in full by the academy in Belgrade. Albanian academics and intellectuals, standing at the admirable heights of culture and humanism, show the ideologues of genocide their folly and shame, and point them toward the path of wisdom and reason. Kosovo’s intellectuals, Prof. Dhimitër Shuteriqi observed, have distinguished themselves as among the most worthy and gifted sons, who, with bravery and wisdom, have withstood centuries of storms. Their words to their colleagues in Serbia, calling for a path of dialogue and genuine mutual respect, are admirable not only for their strength but also for their wisdom—and wisdom is strength. The path of hatred is destructive for everyone. The wound of chauvinism is eating away at Yugoslavia’s roots. It is a wound for the Balkans themselves, and naturally for Europe as well. The voice of Kosovo’s intellectuals springs from a heart as benevolent as it is brave, like the heart of the Albanians of Yugoslavia. In conclusion, he said that Kosovars are asking for and demanding democratic freedoms and constitutional freedoms, as for all Yugoslav citizens. In his speech, Prof. Sofokli Lazri said: “I have always been impressed by the bravery of Kosovo’s Albanian intellectuals, their intellectual courage and political wisdom, which they have also demonstrated during these tragic days Kosovo is going through. ‘Te (Continued on page 3)

CONCRETE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISIONS OF THE 9TH PLENUM WHAT FOLLOWS THE PIECE-RATE SYSTEM Daily figures for fulfillment of targets are being unblocked At the “Enver Hoxha” seaport in Durrës, these days work is being carried out on a piece-rate basis for handling bulk cargo. The benefits are already becoming apparent. Ships carrying ferrochrome, for example, used to begin being handled at 7 in the morning, and work could continue in shifts until 7 in the evening. Now that the loading and unloading brigades have become familiar with this work practice, its advantages and the benefits it brings to the economy and to the workers, and with work being better organized, many ships are being handled 7–8 hours faster each day. A coal ship was handled four days ahead of schedule. This time saved is no small matter for the port and the merchant fleet. As the port’s chief engineer, Zamir Ramadani, tells us, this will considerably reduce contractual penalties and increase the number of berths available to foreign ships. In other words, more foreign currency will be earned for the benefit of the port. For our fleet, the time saved means several more voyages at sea, worth millions of lek. “10 days.” Previously, the worker fulfilled the set quota and that was all. The quota itself contained reserves; indeed, it acted as a brake, in the sense that it stretched this process out to as much as a month, as we said. As workers become more interested—something they also see reflected realistically in an increase in their wages—these quotas are lowered. What does the economy gain? According to one calculation, simply from the tomato plants grown in hothouses, whose work is also made easier by repairing the greenhouse sooner, the gain in value, we were told, is up to 10 percent greater. This is no small matter when one considers this percentage in terms of harvesting tomatoes sooner, exporting them faster, and obtaining greater quantities of foreign currency from overseas markets by selling them as quickly as possible—not to mention the greater increase in production. Secondly, repair costs are reduced. Workers are taking great care to preserve the glass panes, because this also speeds up the work and, consequently, affects their pay. “Can piece-rate work be introduced in construction?” we ask Hysni. “I think it certainly can,” he replies. We inquired about this at the construction enterprise. This work practice has begun to be used here as well. Piece-rate work in construction, especially, produces very good results, they told us at the enterprise. The industrial construction site is standing out; a discussion was held there to learn more about the working conditions under the piece-rate system and the construction brigades. From the first days, the previous rate of exceeding the quota—5 percent—has risen to 15–20 percent. At some individual projects it is even higher. This has given rise to the objective of completing projects up to six months ahead of schedule. In residential apartment construction, calculations indicate a time saving of one to two months; for some brigades, this period is even longer. For workers, these calculations mean higher earnings. These examples show, one by one, concrete action in implementing the decisions of the 9th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee. They clearly establish that the introduction of piece-rate work, while also offering a lesson, should be extended as widely as possible to other production sectors in the district. SOTIRAQ GJORDENI ... the reduction of contracts and the increase in berthing facilities for foreign ships. Thus, more foreign currency is collected time saved means several more voyages at sea, representing millions of lek in additional profit. And the workers? A calculation by the day shows that they have gained considerably over and above their basic wages, and the supplement to these at the end of the 15-day period will be even greater. Given this, the greater mobilization of workers and the faster implementation of tasks, ... [greater] commitment by the employees to securing the material supplies has placed the administration under scrutiny and in a sound position. So far, of 18,000 square meters of glass, 11,000 square meters have been secured—something that could not previously be achieved so quickly—and work is continuing. At the usual pace, repairs took a month. Now each day, a work output two to three times greater is achieved, and the repair is completed in

WEATHER CONDITIONS DICTATE Every water source and stream under control — LUSHNJE — Last year, crops in the agricultural economy of the Lushnjë district were irrigated according to their requirements and needs. Some 125 million cubic meters of water were used, supplied by natural reservoirs and mechanical pumping. Last year’s experience is serving as a lesson for intensifying and advancing the work of securing abundant water reserves, since production needs are greater this year. How is this being done in practice? The dry weather conditions call for this task to be given the greatest possible attention, since every water reserve has particular economic value. In the district, 32 water-

— There is no reason to wait: the incapable should be given the place they deserve — Coming from the plenum of the District Party Committee of Dibra, many communists referred to the practices of these days following the 9th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee. This means that work to implement its decisions has begun. Communist Shefqet Kllogjeri gave an example from Bulqiza. At the first open meeting of a basic organization in one sector, only five people from the sector’s large collective attended. “Why?” the question was raised. Some members of the plenum said this happened because either there was formalism in the organization, or the announcement was made somewhat late, or the topics failed to attract people, or the meeting was held at an inconvenient time. It was therefore agreed that in some basic organizations communists should first discuss the responsibility they bear for the quality of the analyses. These days, an example was raised at a meeting: in Maqellarë there are two opinions on one issue. In the cooperative, the number of sectors has increased, and so has the administration. One opinion is to eliminate some levels, with the agronomist appointed as the sector manager. How will the decision be made? It was said that the cooperative members and specialists themselves should decide through discussion. Let it be done as they judge best for the work, without burdening the economy. In the discussion by Rexhep Gjoci and others, many opinions were also expressed about removing incapable people from leadership positions. It was demanded that this happen immediately, without waiting for election time, in those economies where there is backwardness, or where the cooperative chairman or enterprise director has held the post for more than five years: they should appear before the people, and their continued tenure should be decided by secret ballot. Others added that this should also be extended to secondary and eight-year schools and to cultural sectors, just as it was proposed that competitive selection be introduced immediately for some jobs. A step has already been taken here as well. For example, the district has many tasks to carry out in building new facilities. (Continued on page 2) ... calls for the removal of incapable people from leadership positions. It was requested that immediately, without waiting for election time, in those agricultural enterprises where there is a backlog, or where the chairman of a cooperative or the director of an enterprise cultural sectors, just as it was requested that competition for some jobs be introduced immediately. Here, too, a step has been taken. in constructing new facilities.

Yesterday, the 40th anniversary of the founding of the “Migjeni” Theatre was celebrated in the city of Shkodër. It was established on the basis of an early amateur movement, serving the ideological and aesthetic education of the masses and mobilizing them to put into practice the teachings of the Party and Comrade Enver Hoxha. Over these decades, the company has distinguished itself by staging more than nearly 150 dramas and comedies, which audiences have praised for their sound content and skillful production. On the occasion of this anniversary, a jubilee meeting was held yesterday afternoon at the “Migjeni” Theatre, attended by actors, employees and veterans of the institution, young men and women, and guests from other theatre companies in the country. Also present were the First Secretary of the District Party Committee, Xhemal Dymja; the chairman of the District People’s Council Executive Committee, Bashkim Syka; the deputy secretary of the Committee for Culture and the Arts, Çapajev Gjukaj; and other comrades. The meeting was opened by the director of the “Migjeni” Theatre, Fejzi Spahia. Amid the enthusiasm of those present, the chairman of the Writers’ League read the congratulatory letter sent by Comrade Ramiz Alia, First Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, to the staff of the “Migjeni” Theatre on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. (Continued on page 3)

During these days, on the eve of the 45th anniversary of the founding of the Albanian Trade Unions (BPSH), activities devoted to this celebration have been held at economic enterprises and institutions in the district of Berat. Veterans of the trade union organization in the industrial area of Qyteti Stalin have met with workers at the oil plant, the drilling and exploration enterprise, and elsewhere. They recalled the strike of February 11, 1936, and spoke about the efforts of the “Puna” association to defend rights and improve the working and living conditions of oil workers. The working class of the Pukë district has also held meetings and discussions in recent days with veterans and heroes of socialist labor, who spoke about the 45-year growth of the Trade Unions organization and its role in communist education and mobilizing workers. A discussion entitled “BPSH—a powerful lever of the Party” was held with the collective of the wood-processing enterprise in Pukë. In cooperation with the “Zëri i Kadrës” cultural club, a musical-literary performance was presented, devoted to the achievements of Pukë’s sawmill workers and their efforts to put revolutionary initiatives into practice. These days, on the eve of the February 11 celebration, the trade union organizations in the Sarandë district are further organizing educational and mobilizing activities with their members to fulfill their tasks. Reviews have been held with outstanding collectives and individuals who exceeded the January targets, including those at the salt-extraction mine, the handicrafts enterprise in Delvinë, the fishing enterprise in Sarandë, and elsewhere. An exemplary worker from the collective of the Vurgut agricultural enterprise was commended for working wherever needed with sound economic judgment; the meat-and-milk collection and processing enterprise was praised for bringing processing centers closer to the raw materials, and so on. (ATSH)

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Jildirim Akbulut, yesterday received the Minister of Light Industry of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Vito Kapo, who is heading the delegation of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania to the second session of the Albanian-Turkish Joint Commission for Economic, Trade, Industrial and Technical Cooperation. On this occasion, Minister Vito Kapo handed the Prime Minister of Turkey, Jildirim Akbulut, a message from the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Comrade Adil Çarçani, who, in turn, [invited] the Prime Minister of Turkey to make an official working visit to Albania. The Prime Minister of Turkey, Jildirim Akbulut, gladly accepted the invitation and emphasized that he would be pleased to visit Albania. At the reception, which took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, the achievements to date in the political, economic and other fields of mutual interest were assessed, and it was emphasized that the friendly relations between the two countries and the two peoples were determined to move forward, which is in the interest of peace and stability in the Balkans. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania to the Republic of Turkey, Nesip Kaci. (ATSH)

Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Reis Malile, received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Khamphct Phengmuong, in connection with the forthcoming presentation of his credentials to the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Comrade Ramiz Alia. (ATSH)

UNESCO Director-General, the Japanese Ko-s, Federiko Major, yesterday received the Chairman of the Committee for Culture and the Arts of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Alfred Uçi, with whom he held a friendly conversation. During the meeting, they discussed further expansion of cooperation between Albania and UNESCO in the fields of culture, education and science. The meeting was also attended by Albania’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ksenofon Nushi. (ATSH)

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Food Industry, the Chamber of Commerce of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, the Higher Agricultural Institute in Tirana and the Institute of Olives and Citrus Fruits in Vlora, in cooperation with the Scientific Research Institute for Olives in Cosenza, Italy, organized the Albanian-Italian Scientific Symposium on the Olive from February 5 to 7, in one of the facilities of the Higher Agricultural Institute in Tirana. Participants included specialists in olive cultivation and industrial processing, students and lecturers, employees of scientific research institutions and agricultural enterprises from various districts of the country, etc. Specialists also took part ... (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday, in one of the premises of the Enver Pioneer Palace in the capital, a national exhibition opened, featuring 600 of the best works by members of the country’s naturalists’ and skilled-hands groups, from 24 districts of the country. It featured works in copper and [sigurat] by pioneers from Tirana. (Continued on page 2)

Afroviti Seiti is among the most distinguished workers in the rubber-tire department of the NPV in Gjirokastër. (Photo: A. Bodinaku-ATSH)