What the large consumers save, the small ones “waste” A FACE-TO-FACE FROM KORÇË When February ended, the Korçë district had saved 332 thousand kilowatt-hours of electricity over the two-month period. Now, with not even 20 days of March gone, we are seeing a different picture: “We have exceeded [the plan] by 173 thousand kilowatt-hours,” says Ermioni Ngjela, an employee of the electric utility enterprise. The reason? The Korçë district has taken, and continues to take, more electricity than planned from the main grid, because its own small hydroelectric plants are producing electricity every day in a cascade. In all, from January 1 through March 18, these small hydroelectric plants produced 442 thousand kilowatt-hours of electricity less than their target. This deficit is equal to the excess amount it is taking from the grid. It is clear that under these conditions, when it is not meeting its target as an electricity producer (and this has its reasons; there are also excesses in electricity consumption at the coal mining enterprise and at the leather-goods production enterprise). But what particularly draws attention is the carelessness of the so-called small electricity consumers, such as trading enterprises, institutions, agricultural cooperatives, military units, etc. These are the consumers who are “swallowing up” what the large consumers save. Specifically: in February alone, the enterprises in the trade system used tens of thousands of kilowatt-hours of electricity above their quota, an amount sufficient for an industrial enterprise, such as the various-products enterprise, to operate for 20 days. Everywhere there are untapped opportunities that could lead to savings. People talk and debate about them, but concrete steps taken are few. One such characteristic example of [unclear] [?] [unclear] [?] — text cut off at the bottom of the column. are exceedingly slow. Specifically: how much longer will such consumers in the Korçë district—the SMT, the metal products enterprise, the handicrafts products enterprise, etc.—continue to keep transformers with a capacity of 320 kilovolts? — KOSTAQ DUKA electricity in less than the required amount. This deficit is equal to the excess it receives from the system. Clearly, under these conditions, when the district is not meeting its electricity production target (and there is an explanation for this too—the dry weather), the expenditure incurred to make up the electricity shortfall is unjustified. Let us make a comparison: If the agricultural machinery plant, the instrument plant, the mine of qy- have managed to save energy,

Many celebrations have a place in the lives of our people. This shows that they have much joy and a rich life. Summer Day has long been celebrated in Elbasan, as an affirmation of the inheritance of the people’s finest traditions of rituals, songs and dances, preserved and passed down from generation to generation. To enter the atmosphere of this traditional celebration, one must become part of people’s lives. For them, the new day begins with the customary greeting, “Gjat’në motit gëzuar!” (“May you enjoy many more years!”), continues with excursions and walks in nature (to the Banga spring, Kroi i Kalit, Trapi i Mansit, Tepes hill, the Great Tekke, and so on), and ends with a family dinner, with ballokume, sweets made only once a year. A very positive feature of this year’s Summer Day celebrations was the cooperation between social organizations, cultural and artistic institutions, and trading enterprises. It began with the city’s “spring decorations.” These were simple but meaningful decorations bearing the greetings: “Happy Summer Day!” and “May you enjoy the new spring!”, alongside similarly simple tableaux depicting the joy of children, who at this time have placed characteristic flowers and daisies in their woven wreaths. The other part of these spring decorations consisted of characteristic points of sale [?] [unclear] [?] characteristic points of sale [?] — text unclear. At one of them, for Summer Day, sweets, flowers and books for children were being sold. Aleks Bodu-ri, secretary of the district Democratic Front presidium, tells us that, like every social organization, the Front organization has a duty to understand the wishes of people from all walks of life. Summer Day has always been celebrated in Elbasan, but not in this organized way. Some leaders of mass organizations considered it something ordinary, forgetting that it is a popular pagan festival and, as such, should be respected; people want it and are interested in it. The activists of the “Qemal Stafa” neighborhood wanted to celebrate Summer Day at the club of the House of Culture. They cooperated with the trade sector and put on an evening that truly turned out to be enjoyable... The city’s cultural and artistic institutions were also well represented in the “dance” of the celebration. The district branch of the League of Writers and Artists marked the celebration by opening the “Spring” visual arts exhibition, an event being organized for the second time. On Saturday afternoon alone, three concerts were held simultaneously: at the sports palace, the youth concert “Spring Has Come”; at the “11 Nëntori” cinema, a concert of characteristic Elbasan urban songs; and in the “Skampa” theater hall, the first evening of the festival for children and pioneers opened. At the same time, dance evenings for young people were organized in the “Metalurgu” cinema-club hall, at ILP “Aleksandër Xhuvani,” and in nearly all the district’s secondary schools. Perhaps this is the first time in Elbasan that such a large number of cultural and entertainment events have taken place in a single evening. The Summer Day celebration showed that the city has so many artistic talents that not just one or two, but several events can be held in a single day. And most importantly: hundreds of people took part in these events; everyone enjoyed themselves and celebrated together. In any case, Summer Day cannot be imagined without ballokume. As we said, they are prepared only once a year. This sweet is not made by just anyone; it has its own “technology” of preparation. This (Continued on page 3)

In the enameling department of the wire factory in Shkodër. (Photo: A. Bodinaku - ATSH)

What is piece-rate work bringing to oil drilling and exploration? — Experience from Vlorë — — After it was discussed and approved at the open meeting of the Party’s basic organization, we began implementing piece-rate work first in two rig-assembly brigades, says Manol Bono, head of the planning department at the oil drilling and exploration enterprise in Vlorë. — But we did not act without proper preparation. Here is how it was done. After the necessary explanations had been given and the assemblers’ views had been sought, work began on a piece-rate basis to assemble a rig. The assembly carried out by the brigade led by Nexhat Veipi was completed 6 days ahead of schedule. The brigade collective gained more than 700 m of drilling, in addition to other benefits. This gives the oil workers drilling wells more to do in order to speed up the necessary preparations. But what does piece-rate work require in enterprises of this kind? It requires the whole enterprise to be prepared, so that as soon as one assembly is finished, the next can begin, because “pauses” harm the state treasury and work discipline. It therefore requires coordination of work among enterprises in this system, and daily monitoring of task fulfillment by the relevant directorate within the General Directorate of Oil and Gas. of gas. At the enterprise, on the basis of the experience gained, they are considering extending piece-rate work to other fields or processes as well, such as drilling, work at wellheads, various repairs, and short-term drilling. The general view is that piece-rate work gets people moving, strengthens accountability, and improves coordination. VANGJEL STEFA they did not proceed without proper preparation. That been given, the fitters’ views were canvassed one by one, and work began on a piece-rate basis to assemble a drilling rig. The assembly, carried out by the crew schedule. As a result, the crew received a wage supplement greater than one fifth of the planned wage fund. Another rig was assembled 5 days ahead of schedule, earning an equally large wage supplement. Finally, the assembly of another rig is also being carried out on a piece-rate basis. Under the piece-rate system, the workers have an interest in the outcome, but the work itself benefits greatly too. The drilling of every well starts and finishes ahead of schedule. And 5–6 days sooner, it the loss of electricity in the shaft—they did not proceed without proper preparation. That drilling rig. The assembly, carried out by the crew 5–6 days sooner, it

The achievements of the miners in the Tirana coal basin during this period of the year are a concrete expression of their capacity and of the implementation of the decisions of the 9th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee. But before we give any concrete action in the fields of organization and management, or describe the immediate response of the Party’s basic organizations, professional organizations and economic bodies, let us say how the main indicator has been achieved so far. More than 8,000 tons of coal have been produced above plan. The miners of the Valias mine have produced more than 7,000 tons above their target. The Mushtakë and Mëzez mines have also exceeded their targets. The improvement in coal quality in some sectors, such as the cadres and management sector, ma po ata komuniste? This is precisely where the good work done, and still being done, in implementing Committee lies. The basic organizations did not engage in pointless confrontations and analyses, but responded directly and decisively. In this context, 110 communists left auxiliary fronts and moved to the forefront of production, where the coal is extracted: the cadres too. Around 58 managers and specialists left their offices for the main production fronts, while 26 others were removed from the organizations and transferred to production. But where, specifically? We think clarifying this question is important when discussing experience. We think clarifying this... professional bodies and economic organizations, we can say that its main indicator has been met to date. plan. The miners of the Valias mine have exceeded their target by more than 7,000 tons. The Mushqeta and Mezëz mines have also exceeded their targets. In some sectors, such as Mezëz, coal quality has increased to 103.8 percent. As is well known, the Tirana coal basin has had problems and difficulties in achieving its production indicators. Now, as we said, there is a new leap forward in the work, at a pace that was somewhat unexpected. The example of Valias and Mezëz vividly and tangibly shows how mines can emerge from losses. So how are such advances being achieved with the very same workers, who have also moved to the forefront of production, to where the coal is mined? The managers too. Around 58 managers and specialists came down from their offices to the main work faces, while 26 others were removed from the staffing lists and transferred to production. But where, specifically? We think clarification of this question matters when discussing experience. Managers and specialists can be moved, figures can be given (even boastfully), but what matters is where they go and what they do there. In the Tirana mines, both the communists and the managers and specialists who went to the main work faces are shouldering heavy burdens. They are setting a practical example for ordinary workers and showing through their work what is expected of communists: “do as we do.” It is there that this powerful example makes the whole collective stand out. In faces 26-05 and 26-10, for example, 5,300 and 4,000 tons of coal respectively have been produced above plan. Let us point out something that seems important to us. All the mines are working intensively on many fronts and in many areas. In other words, the effort is not simply to meet the coal production plan. We believe this is helping make the gains substantial and sustainable. Here is an organizational measure that has helped bring mine managers into closer contact with the production base. Recently, the sector headquarters were disbanded and new ones were organized on the basis of the working faces. So now they go directly to the working face, where the difficulties are, where the coal is mined. This practice is helping improve mining technology and implement direct measures to sort out waste rock, etc. Ultimately, control has been strengthened, leading to the exploitation of new reserves. A new working face was put into operation at the Priska mine, and it was pro-

— Meeting of the General Council of the BGSH held — Yesterday morning, in one of the halls of the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, a meeting of the General Council of the BGSH was held, where intensifying educational work among women was discussed, so as to address the problems of the times at an appropriate level, in the spirit of the 9th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee. In addition to council members, activists from BG organizations and councils also took part, along with leading working women, intellectuals and cooperative members, and managerial cadres from several ministries and other central mass organizations. Also present was Comrade Foto Çami, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Party’s Central Committee. In the report delivered by Lumturi Rexha, president of the General Council of the BGSH, and in the discussions, it was emphasized that, at the country’s current stage of development, the BGSH organization must seek to improve its educational and propaganda work among women. The meeting presented many examples of women’s organizations working to implement Committee and the directives of Comrade Ramiz Alia, and set tasks for further deepening this work, especially with regard to women’s contribution to further strengthening socialist democracy, revolutionizing relations between cadres and the masses, increasing powers, improving forms of remuneration, perfecting legislation, etc. At many enterprises and agricultural cooperatives, it was noted at the meeting, the comrades have made new commitments to improve plan indicators and fulfill tasks ahead of schedule. But it is the women’s organization’s duty to keep this spirit alive, strengthen political work among women, and make them aware of the weight they carry in the economy so that they can give the maximum of their creative and productive potential there. Women’s organizations in the countryside and women’s councils at workplaces and institutions have offered valuable opinions on improving economic mechanisms, the scale and method of remuneration, piece-rate work, and have been sharply critical of the demands placed on the administration, especially regarding the allocation of funds for working conditions. The meeting presented the experience of many (Continued on page 2)

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 Tunisian Republic, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. 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 Tunisian Republic, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali: “The celebration of the anniversary of the proclamation of Tunisia’s Independence gives me the pleasure, on behalf of the Albanian people, the Presidium of the People’s Assembly and myself, to send to You and, through You, to the friendly Tunisian people, our warm greetings and sincere wishes for their well-being and for the continued development of the country. On this occasion, I express my conviction that the friendly relations existing between our two countries will continue to develop without interruption.” (ATSH)

The delegation of the General Council of BGSH returned to the homeland. It was headed by Elvira Ajazi, chairwoman of the BGSH in the district of Durrës, and had taken part in the 5th Congress of the Federation of Cuban Women at the invitation of that Federation. . It was headed by Elvira Ajazi, chairwoman of the BGSH in the district of Durrës, and had taken part in the 5th Congress of the Federation of Cuban Women at the invitation of that Federation. During its stay in Cuba, our delegation was received by Fidel Kastro, Chairman of the Council of State and of the Government of the Republic of Cuba. After thanking them for participating in the congress, he said: “The Albanian people are strong and determined, and the Albanian women are just as brave. Our two peoples have many things in common and fight and work with determination to adv- (Continued on page 4)

Veteran miners. (Photo: N. Xhufka)

Starting at 1:00 a.m. on March 25, 1990, the clocks will be moved forward by 60 minutes. (ATSH)

● Saving electricity is in everyone’s hands (p. 1); ● Profitability: where it is “sown” and where it is “harvested” (p. 2). ● In what context should we assess a manager’s work? (p. 3). ● The dimensions of the Kosovo tragedy (p. 4).