— What the turnaround at the Durrës fishing enterprise is about — Up to this point last year, the fishing enterprise in Durrës was meeting its targets at 50 percent. Over the course of the year, this figure reached 60–65 percent. It was not the first time; this had also happened in previous years. The period so far, since the beginning of this year, tells a different story. A positive turnaround has begun at the enterprise. Before we speak about the plan, this turnaround began among the managerial cadres and all the specialists. The old acceptance of the situation that had developed over the years is being cast aside, with remarks such as: “We didn’t get the year off to a good start, never mind, we’ll get back on track later,” and so on. All the enterprise’s cadres are now, so to speak, on site day and night, constantly familiarizing themselves with the problems that arise instead of leaving them until the end of the week or month to be solved. The fishermen raised the issue of better fuel supplies. They could have been told: “This is all the district has allocated to us, this is what we were planned for; there’s nothing more we can do.” This time, that was not the response. It is true that fuel is allocated within the district, but adjustments in the interests of the work can and should also be made wherever they are deemed necessary. The enterprise’s managers discussed this issue with the district’s governing bodies. After that, a small percentage of fuel was taken from several other outstanding enterprises, without reducing their supplies, and given to the fishing enterprise. It was clear that work at that enterprise was going well; fishing, in turn, accelerated it. That is not all. The enterprise’s cadres and specialists are themselves going out fishing with the fishermen. Not because the latter do not know their trade, but because at sea they have with them, so to speak, not only the map and the fishing grounds, or merely an order telling them where to fish today or tomorrow; they also have a cadre member and specialist physically beside them, helping them deal concretely with every situation that arises and jointly make the appropriate decisions for carrying out each work process. As the cadres’ and specialists’ sense of responsibility grows, and as they set a personal example—which the fishermen see in their greater activity and presence—the fishermen’s own mobilization is also increasing. On the other hand, better cooperation among the enterprise’s sectors is evident during this period. The ultimate goal of all the sectors is to catch as much fish as possible for the people. This involves the net-repair sector, the workshop, the planning offices, material and technical supply, distribution, and so on. Each, in the spirit of the 9th Plenum of the Party’s CC, is striving to do its work as well as possible, with everyone fully engaged. This comes naturally when you see the director, the secretary of the Party bureau, the chief engineer and other leading cadres of the enterprise there day and night. This spurs others on, and also gives you the right to hold them accountable. The motto is: “We, the workers on land, will give our utmost and leave the fishermen nothing to reproach us for.” The fishermen’s motto is: “We at sea will respond to our comrades on land by working well, so that we leave them nothing to reproach us for.” As a result, there have also been positive changes in the crews’ collectives—in work organization, coordination during fishing, time spent at sea, and the drive not to return to shore before fulfilling the plan. Our fishing comrades tell us: “This is only a first step; what matters is that we maintain this pace and raise it further. That depends on us; we must not complain to anyone. If we don’t do our job well, why should we stay at the enterprise? Let others who are more capable come. That is why we are first demanding this ability of ourselves, and demanding it of everyone.” Here is a brief picture: the January plan was fulfilled at 104 percent, the first 15 days of February at 120 percent; the pelagic pair of vessels “Demir Milaq” and “Naun Thanasi” fulfilled their quarterly target. The vessel “Durrësi” also fulfilled its quarterly target in purse-seine fishing. Coastal fishing reached 100 percent of its target. Exports did too. This enterprise has never seen figures like these. Nevertheless, our fishing comrades speak of shortcomings: the vessel-based mollusk catch target was not met. Some purse-seine fishing vessels also failed to meet their plan. These shortcomings are entirely our responsibility, they say, and so they are analyzing them. We can raise our awareness: we have two purse-seine fishing vessels that have not gone to sea for six months because of a lack of material resources. Two vessels mean hundreds of quintals of fish lost. The ministry knows this, but when will it resolve the matter in practical terms? SOTIRAQ GJORDENI

Innovators from the vehicle workshop in Shkodër, designers of the portable device for straightening sheet metal. (Photo: A. Bodinaku - ATSH)

— TIRANË — Every year, the miners of the Tirana coal basin, like all their comrades throughout the country, celebrate 22 February as their holiday. This year, the Youth Committee of Region No. 2 thought of “breaking” with tradition by declaring the week from 15 to 22 February “Miner’s Week.” On the first day, young people from all four mines gathered and discussed the role of youth organizations in carrying out the plan’s tasks. In the discussions comparing the youth activities, they expressed the enthusiasm that had surged after the 9th Plenum of the Party’s CC, and the commitment of the Valias mine (longwall face 26-05) to produce 1,000 tons of coal above its target during this week came to life. The young people from the Kërrabë and Mushqetasë mines, Priska and the Mezësit pits (deve) also supported this, with the youth brigades set to fulfill the plan at 150 percent during this period; that is, they will produce 2,300 tons of mineral above the target during this time. F. BERDELLIMA F. BERDELLIMA

— FIER — The Ballsh Oil Refinery fulfilled and exceeded its targets for the period from January to 15 February. The overall industrial plan was exceeded by 1.7 percent, providing the economy with more than 650,000 lekë worth of oil by-products above the plan. The production plan for lubricating oils was exceeded by 500 tons, as was the plan for xylene, benzene, etc.—by-products also intended for export. The workforce of the oil plant produced several new types of oil, bringing their number to 38, compared with the 16 envisaged in the project. By the end of the year, the number will reach 43 types of oil. Working with a strong sense of responsibility, during this period they saved 1.7 million kW of electricity, 566 tons of fuel, 14,000 tons of steam, etc. SAKO SHEQI

worth 300 thousand lekë, in the production of coke

Information from the metallurgical combine Every day at the «Çeliku i Partisë» metallurgical combine in Elbasan, hundreds upon hundreds of tons of raw materials and various supplies are consumed, along with around 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and large quantities of other forms of technological energy. Saving just 1 percent of them is a major source of increased accumulation. And is it possible to save this 1 percent everywhere? Certainly. Indeed, we would make a profit of 18 million lekë. To identify sources of savings, we turn to the experience of the combine itself and its factories. By diligently observing the consumption standards for raw materials, the coke-chemical plant not only saved 679 tons of coking coal last year, but, by increasing the use of domestic coal, also saved 1,631 tons of imported coking coal. At Plant No. 12, meanwhile, lowering the consumption standards for materials used in producing basic nickel carbonate yielded a benefit of 14,745 lekë, with savings of 2,750 tons of gasoil, as well as electricity, accounting for a significant share. There have been considerable cost-reduction gains not only at the coke plant and Plant No. 12, but also at other plants and workshops. However, these savings have been «eaten up» by those who have paid little attention to efficiency. A typical case is the steel plant, where failure to observe technological parameters, especially in the converter workshop, led to excess consumption of materials and technological energy amounting to as much as 15 million lekë. We believe that assessing the achievements to date is positive and valuable for future work. The results of last year are being viewed critically in the reviews now under way at the plants and workshops. This is being reflected in the detailed preparation of this year's cost plans, in which workers have undertaken commendable tasks to reduce production expenses by 1.5 percent, equivalent to 28 million lekë. Looking ahead, the main approach to reducing expenses remains the continuous review of material-consumption standards. Of the 1,400 standards tracked and monitored across the combine, reviewing just 65 of them yields an economic benefit of 4.5 million lekë. Among the tasks requiring priority attention this year, in addition to others, are recovering by-products and improving their quality. This is important, and we stress it because in 1989 alone, the failure to collect iron concentrate at Plant No. 12 resulted in overspending of 15 million lekë. At the same time, attention must also be paid to using blast-furnace gas and recovering coke by-products, since putting them to use would free up the main product and better meet some of the needs of households with various products. Rightly, the combine has always focused on reducing the consumption of imported materials, which account for a large share of the foreign-currency balance. Therefore, this year efforts are being made to replace imported materials with domestic raw materials. For example, at the coke-chemical plant, in addition to reducing the standard for imported coal by a value of 300 thousand lekë, 1 percent bituminous gravel will be introduced into the production of coke for ferrous metallurgy to replace 3,000 tons of imported coal. At Plant No. 12, meanwhile, ways are being sought to lower the gasoil-fuel-oil consumption standard, saving a further 876 tons, as well as 500 thousand kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to four months of operation of the limestone quarry of this same combine. Moving each plant and enterprise in the combine to independent accounting, in addition to increasing responsibility for fulfilling the plan and its targets, requires deeper economic thinking to bring loss-making enterprises within the combine out of arrears. No matter how well plans and programs for reducing expenses are drawn up, a turnaround in the combine will be achieved only when this issue becomes everyone’s concern and workers’ commitments and proposals are put into practice.

PERMET I wanted to write about a village or health center where, for years, every child born has enjoyed full health. But it was not easy. When I looked for information at the health department, I found that it was not just one village but quite a few that had gone years without an infant death. I focused on just five of them. In Çarshovë, Këlcyrë, Piskovë, Çorogunj and Frashër, there have been no such cases among children aged 0–1 in the past 10–15 years. Mothers in these villages speak with respect of the midwives Vitori Haxhiu, Teftë Qiriri, Violete Qyra, Vasilikë Thomallari and Flamure Hasko. It is thanks to their tireless, passionate work, their care and readiness, and the many years they have served as midwives in these villages that there have been no deaths. Always ready, day and night, and behaving like sisters and friends to the mothers—this has fostered mutual respect and affection. Every day they monitor the children’s health and development at nurseries and at home. But the midwives’ example is not the whole story. There is also the care shown by the managers of these economic units and by the people’s councils in these villages, who have provided the necessary conditions both during pregnancy and by ensuring regular supplies to nurseries and kindergartens, so that the children lack nothing. P. MUSTAFAJ

Numerous activities are being held at the secondary schools in the Berat district as part of the «Month of Science». At the «Babe Dude Karbunara» secondary school, thematic afternoons and discussions have been held on applying scientific advances in production, attracting many young people with a passion for science. With the students of the «Kristo Çapo» school, discussions have been organized on literature and art, astronomy and physics, and science, among other subjects, during which they expressed their interests according to their inclinations. Second-year students at the school for the agricultural enterprise were given guidance by specialists on mobilizing work effectively and obtaining greater yields with lower expenditure. The training days at the secondary school in «Demofraf» were followed with interest; physics experiments were conducted, a mathematics competition was held with students at the «Demofraf» school, and literary activities were organized by the language-teaching group. For these purposes, an afternoon event entitled «Mathematics at School» was held at the secondary school in Fushë-Peshtan, while the best students at the Karkanjozë secondary school, together with their teachers, organized the scientific session «How Can Soil Fertility Be Increased?» They discussed the country’s industrial development, especially in energy, and spoke about the city of Berat’s ancient 24-year history, etc. At the «Kristo Isak» agricultural secondary school, after a competition on new developments in agriculture, an afternoon of science experiments in livestock farming was organized; they also held a discussion with the candidate of sciences, mathematician Andon Si- … PUKE Every organization throughout Pukë, through the activities being held as part of the Month of Science, is seeking to deepen its analyses further. Scientific circles have reviewed their work to date and planned new objectives. Among the activities of youth organizations and the most talented students at the Pukë secondary school, the physics competition continues, accompanied by experiments and discussions. Interest in mathematics is also being encouraged through an olympiad in the subject, scientific afternoons, mathematical curiosities and puzzles, and information about the lives of renowned mathematicians. Students at the secondary school in Gjejan, through meetings with agricultural specialists from this economic unit, learned about significant achievements in maize cultivation and the experience gained in increasing yields in protected environments. Meanwhile, in Gojan, students are drawing conclusions from experiments at the experimental station. Members of the chemistry circle at the agricultural secondary school in the village of Malaj attended a discussion entitled «Some Stages in the Development of Chemistry in the Century»; in Pushë-Arë, a discussion was held about the science film «Discoveries in … and Analysis», and an excerpt from the magazine «Science and Life» was read. (ATSIN) - PUKE -

SPEEDING UP SUNFLOWER PLANTING Sunflower growers in Durrës are completing the ploughing of fields allocated to sunflowers. This has made it possible to plant more than 2,300 hectares across the district, equal to 71 percent of the target. Care is being taken during planting to use the necessary quantities of organic fertilizer and superphosphate, which contributes to healthy plant growth. Faster planting rates are required in the agricultural cooperatives of Kryemëdhejt, Lalëzit and Kryevidhit, and at the Shtik Agricultural Enterprise, which are lagging behind. APPLYING ADVANCED EXPERIENCE In accordance with the task set by the agricultural leadership in the Krujë district, the plots to be planted with alfalfa have received 400 quintals of organic fertilizer and 10 quintals of superphosphate per hectare. Specialists from the Forage Crops Institute in Fushë-Krujë are also providing significant assistance with its cultivation, sharing experimental findings and selecting the experience of advanced agricultural enterprises. The daily planting rate reaches 40 to 50 hectares. Across the district, 550 hectares have been planted with alfalfa, equal to 85 percent of the planned area. EXCEEDING PRODUCTION For this period, the market in the city of Tepelenë has been abundantly supplied with seasonal and greenhouse vegetables, as well as eggs. The market’s main egg supplier is the «Polo Bezhani» Agricultural Enterprise. With the establishment of a new poultry unit and improvements to feed and poultry care in line with the developed technology, twice as many eggs as the target have been delivered to the market. (According to ATSH)

48th year of publication Sunday, 18 February 1990 No. 42 (12 986) Price: 30 qindarka

THE PLAN: A DEMAND OF THE TIMES, EVERYDAY DUTY