Continuing democratization is vital to the country’s progress SPEECH BY COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA Comrades, We listened attentively to the information provided by Comrade Adil about the work done so far to implement the decisions adopted by the 10th Plenum of the Central Committee and the latest session of the People’s Assembly. We can say that significant steps forward have been taken in all three main areas: increasing initiative and activity in the economy; democratizing social relations and improving the legal protection of citizens’ rights; and integrating into European and global processes in the field of foreign policy. The fundamental point is that masses—workers, peasants and intellectuals. It is important that we move forward consistently and resolutely and do not stop halfway. The new economic mechanism is at the centre of public attention. On the whole, it has been welcomed. Society as a whole is reflecting on its prospects. Its essence has been understood: at the present stage, this mechanism is the foundation of economic democracy. People feel the need to free economic management from old methods of bureaucratization, which are based on criteria and practices that have outlived their usefulness— [text continues outside the frame] ... that is expected. Therefore, attention must be focused here, in the enterprises. There, workers, specialists and cadres must find ways to… [lower part cut off] more rationally increase production and profit. ... at the grassroots, in the enterprise, in the factory. These efforts will bring forward and develop new people, people of our time, capable and enterprising cadres who, through their creativity, will give new impetus to our economy. Understood in this way and implemented creatively, the new economic mechanism will produce positive results both in increasing production and in raising workers’ incomes. The Law on Enterprises, adopted by the People’s Assembly at its latest session, gave both the collective and the individual worker the necessary scope to earn more from their work. This is reflected in a series of powers transferred from ministries to enterprises, from the centre to the grassroots. The most harmful phenomenon would be for these rights to remain unclaimed. And the danger is clear: on the one hand, departments, state bodies and administrations hesitate to adapt to the new reality; it is not easy for them to give up command methods. On the other hand, a deeply rooted habit of waiting for direction from above persists in enterprises. There is no more time for lectures or propaganda. Everyone is required to act quickly. There are no more than 500 state enterprises in the main sectors of the economy. Thus, every opportunity exists for the departments to hold discussions with these enterprises one by one, enabling the grassroots to genuinely enjoy the rights granted to them by law. Formal orders are no longer useful. More concrete work is needed. The state must treat the enterprise as (Continued on page 2)

[Photograph of two men at a meeting; no legible text in the photograph.]

Yesterday morning, the 11th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee continued its work at the Palace of Congresses. Comrade Adil Çarçani, member of the Political Bureau and Chairman of the Council of Ministers, in accordance with the agenda, reported on the implementation of the decisions of the 10th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee and presented a report on the further improvement of the organization and the raising of the standard of artisan and commercial services. Discussions were held on these matters. Comrade Ramiz Alia then took the floor. Under “Other matters,” the plenum adopted the decision “ON SOME CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU AND THE SECRETARIAT OF THE PARTY’S CENTRAL COMMITTEE” The 11th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee unanimously DECIDED: 1. Comrades Manush Myftiu, Prokop Murra and Rita Marko are to be relieved of their duties as members of the Party’s Central Committee Political Bureau upon retirement. 2. Comrades Kico Mustaqi, Vangjel Çërrava and Xhelil Gjoni are to be elected members of the Party’s Central Committee Political Bureau. 3. Comrades Xhemal Dymyla and Niko Gjyzari are to be elected candidate members of the Party’s Central Committee Political Bureau. 4. Comrade Abdyl Baka, from candidate member of the Party’s Central Committee, is to become a member of the Party’s Central Committee. 5. Comrades Xhelil Gjoni and Abdyl Baka are to be elected secretaries of the Party’s Central Committee. 6. Comrade Hekuran Isai is to be relieved of his duties as secretary of the Party’s Central Committee and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers is to be asked to recommend to the Presidium of the People’s Assembly that he be appointed Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Internal Affairs. 7. Comrade Simon Stefani is to be relieved of his duties as Internal Affairs, Assembly that he be appointed Chairman of the State Control Commission. 8. Comrade Lenka Çuko is to be relieved of her Plenum of the Fier District Party Committee is to be asked to elect her its First Secretary. [continues outside the frame]

The new economic mechanism will begin to be implemented next year. But some superficial interpretations have emerged in the discussions taking place, and they deserve attention. Some, for example, think that the new economic mechanism will immediately solve all problems. No, comrades, this mechanism, this reform, is no magic wand. It is too early to assess measures of such a complex and multifaceted nature—not now, before implementation has begun, when no enterprise has yet [unclear wording in source] overcome the shortcomings arising from past practices, but only after some time has passed. The decisions adopted on economic management establish the basic framework within which the enterprise must develop, and the main path for it to uproot bureaucratic forms of work and subjective shortcomings. Thus, the approved law and the decisions adopted must serve as a basis for creative initiative, concrete solutions and overcoming the difficulties encountered in enterprises, sectors and various institutions. Without the active participation of workers, economists and managers at the workplace, and without their concrete ideas about how the enterprise should operate, neither a turning point nor the expected results can be achieved. workers, specialists and cadres must find the most rational ways to increase production and profit. The question of the material and technical base is being raised forcefully in the press and in discussions. I have said before that the material and technical base will be guaranteed through each enterprise fulfilling its production and export plan. If these are fulfilled, contracts and imports will also be met. Furthermore, it is a misunderstanding to think that the economic mechanism assumes that everything will be at the disposal of enterprise managers as of 1 January next year: machinery, raw materials, labour, engineering and technical staff, sales contracts, transport, warehouses—everything. Which director or economist, supplier or engineer would fail to meet the plans under such conditions? Which department could complain if everything—material and technical supplies, imports, funds and staff—flowed to it as if from a tap? The new economic mechanism requires work, indeed a great deal of work; it requires initiative, indeed a great deal of initiative, to secure raw materials and transport even when this means travelling from the south to the north; to change the structure of production in line with the conditions that arise and the demands made; to make the enterprise profitable and secure supplementary rewards for workers even when this seems impossible, and so on. It is in these efforts that the principle of relying on one’s own strength finds concrete expression—not in theory, not in the national plan, but at—

All the communists and workers of our country listened with great interest to Comrade Ramiz Alia’s speech at the 11th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee. In it, we see the further deepening of the process of democratizing life in the country and the clear prospects for our Homeland on the road to freedom and progress. They support the Party’s line and the new tasks being set, and, in unity with the Party, express their readiness to face any situation in order to advance the growth of socialism. “Our democracy is rooted in patriotism” Haki Kola, engineer at the Peshkopi agricultural station: — As soon as I heard Comrade Ramiz’s speech at the plenum, my thoughts turned to the foreign press and literature I have been browsing lately, to certain articles that “revolt,” articles that “philosophize.” (Continued on page 2)

In Ylli Blani’s conversation at the seaport in the district of Vlorë, the opinion of the collective, expressed throughout all these days, with its own viewpoint; (Continued on page 2)

The decree issued yesterday by the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, which we are publishing, is of particular importance for resolving the problem of the people who in recent days have entered foreign embassies in Tirana in order to leave the country. It makes clear and establishes that anyone who has entered an embassy, if they wish to leave and return to their home, will not face criminal prosecution for what they have done. The decree also establishes that these people will be issued regular passports if they request them, and that they will face no obstacles in obtaining exit visas from the foreign embassies. The obstacles preventing our citizens from leaving the country do not come from the Albanian authorities. So far, these citizens have not applied for passports. Likewise, the embassies have not requested that regular passports be issued to the citizens sheltered in their premises. Therefore, the claims that these people are supposedly being obstructed by the Albanian authorities, and the noise made by the foreign press based on those claims, are unfounded. The question arises: why are these people being kept in the embassies, when they are not being prosecuted for entering foreign missions and are not being prevented from obtaining regular passports? To leave the country? It is clear that they are being kept there to create a climate of tension and opposition to the laws and regulations of the Albanian state. This is also confirmed by the fact that some countries are asking to send food, tents, medicines, etc., here, with the aim of turning embassy courtyards into refugee camps. Such brutal interference and inhumane actions are unacceptable and condemnable. As we should all be clear and resolute: Albania is not a country that can be dictated to. In our country, the Albanian people are sovereign, and they alone.

The Party’s decisions on revolutionizing life through increasing the role of the masses and comprehensive democratization have been correctly understood by the people and enjoy the support of the working masses.

On exemption from criminal proceedings of Albanian citizens who have entered foreign diplomatic missions Pursuant to Article 78 of the Constitution; THE PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA DECIDED: Article 1 Albanian citizens who have entered foreign diplomatic missions accredited in our country and leave them shall not be subject to criminal proceedings or trial for acts committed in connection with this action. Article 2 If they so request, these citizens shall be issued a regular passport to travel abroad, like any other Albanian citizen, in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 7393, dated 12.6.1990, “On the issuance of passports for travel abroad and the granting of visas”. Article 3 This decree shall enter into force immediately. Tirana, 7.7.1990 Decree No.: 7397 ON BEHALF OF REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRETARY SHIAT TOZAJ CHAIRMAN RAMIZ ALIA