— Magnificent rally in the capital. More than 120,000 people take part — THE SPEECH OF COMRADE XHELIL GJONI Dear comrades, sisters and brothers, citizens of Tirana, Like all the Albanian people, we, the inhabitants of the heroic capital of our beloved Albania, too, learned with joy the outcome of the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labour and fully express our solidarity with it. The decisions it adopted, both those concerning school reform and those concerning the economy, create favourable conditions and open clear prospects for the further development and progress of our country. The establishment of compulsory ten-year schooling in the city and the countryside will make our children better educated and more cultured, and will give them greater opportunities to acquire modern skills and become better specialists in all sectors. We can rightly be proud of this new achievement, which places our country among the leading countries in the field of educating the people. The decisions adopted by the 11th Plenum on reorganizing the service and handicraft sectors are also of great importance for the life of the whole country. This new organization will not only bring services closer to the people, but will also create opportunities to employ many people. The decision— Yesterday afternoon, more than 120,000 residents streamed from every street and alley of the capital towards Skënderbej Square: war and labour veterans, workers from workplaces and production centres, institutions and ministries, military personnel, students, pupils, Enver Pioneers and little children. They came with songs and cheers to this magnificent rally to once again express their ardent love for the Party and their unbreakable unity around the Party and its Central Committee, headed by Comrade Ramiz Alia, as well as their steadfast determination and optimism to implement the decisions of the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee. The square is beautifully decorated, as on days of great celebrations. Red flags and banners bear words that come from everyone’s hearts: “Party and Enver, we are always ready,” “We defend freedom, we defend socialism,” “Long live Comrade Ramiz Alia,” “The Party — Albania...” And the square resounds with such enthusiastic cries. Enver Pioneers, beside the monument to our beloved, unforgettable leader, Comrade Enver Hoxha, who lies there, cheer and wave their red scarves. Our great teacher and leader is with us, in our minds and hearts, at every step of our lives. To attend the rally, the following came onto the rostrum erected in front of the Palace of Culture: members of the Political Bureau of the Party’s Central Committee and Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Comrade Adil Çarçani; members of the Party’s Central Committee; and the Presidium of the Democratic Front of the Tirana district are organizing this magnificent rally today in support of the decisions adopted by the 11th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee, and particularly in support of the very important speeches delivered at this Plenum by Comrade Ramiz Alia on further democratizing all aspects of the country’s life, strengthening the unity of the people around the Party, accelerating economic development and increasing the people’s well-being. Everyone in the capital, young and old, he continued, is resolutely following the path set by the Party, unreservedly supports its decisions and Comrade Ramiz’s instructions, because they are fully convinced that only in this way can freedom and independence be preserved and strengthened, our socialist Homeland defended and advanced, popular power guaranteed, and socialism successfully built. Our people will never allow any enemy to harm even in the slightest these precious victories, achieved through blood and sacrifice, sweat and tireless work, or to destroy even a little of our prospects. On behalf of the Party’s Central Committee, Comrade Xhelil Gjoni delivered greetings. On behalf of the Democratic Front and Tirana’s veterans, veteran Shaban Sula spoke. For the people and their great organization, the Democratic Front, for us—[partially visible at the bottom; text cut off] [Fragmentary columns visible in the source:] in production and consequently con- | of various kinds of games. It occurs | in modern times and who lives contribute to the democratization of all aspects of the country’s life. In his speech at the Plenum, Comrade Ramiz Alia announced that the Party is studying and drafting other new projects to advance and democratize other sectors of our life, such as that of state power and, more generally, Party policy. All this good news, which represents an irreversible process, makes us happy and fills us with enthusiasm. It further strengthens our faith in the correct line of our Party and state, in the strength and wisdom of our people, and in our secure future. The progress of our society, wisely and resolutely along the path of further democratizing the country’s life, along its path of socialism, freedom and independence, also encounters difficulties. service and handicraft sectors are of very The decision to pay workers according to the category of their workplace will eliminate an anomaly that existed in the wage system. In this way, the great socialist principle is correctly applied: to each according to the quantity and quality of their work. Finally, though by no means least, the 10–20 percent increase in low wages, which affects a large number of workers, and the guarantee of 80 percent of a worker’s wage when work is interrupted through no fault of their own, represent one of the clearest expressions of the Party’s and state’s constant care for the lives of our workers and their families. But all these measures are not only economically important, nor do they bring workers only economic benefits. They are also politically important, since they further democratize relations of various kinds. It also encounters the efforts of enemies who want to create tensions, sow distrust and thereby halt our forward progress. The enemies want to ruin our life, our present and our future, and destroy the freedom we have won and the people’s power. Some people without ideals or morals, deceived or naive, trampling on the blood and bones of the martyrs and staining the honour and honoured name of Albania, serve the enemies’ plans directly through their conduct and actions; those enemies want to bring the overthrown bourgeoisie and beys back to power. It is clear that the people’s power and socialist Albania are a thorn in the enemies’ eyes. Our national independence and the victories of our people—hard-working, peace-loving, brave and full of noble virtues—who leapt like a lion from the Middle Ages—are a thorn in their eyes. into modern times and lives freely, by its own sweat, owing nothing to anyone and burdening no one. In half a century of struggle and creative work, our people, under the leadership of the Party and Comrade Enver Hoxha, renewed their ancient civilization and gave it new dimensions. Overcoming colossal obstacles, they naturally drew closer to the progressive currents of contemporary European civilization. This came not through imposition by anyone, but as an internal necessity of our own growth, as a general tendency in our historical development. Our foreign policy is a policy of friendship, relations and mutual respect. We have affirmed, and affirm again today, our readiness for peace and cooperation, for frie- (Continued on page 2) erected in front of the Palace of Culture: member Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Comrade Adil Çarçani; member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, Comrade Xhelil Gjoni; member of the Political Bureau of the Party’s Central Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Agriculture, Comrade Pali Miska; Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, Comrade Abdyl Baka; First Secretary of the Tirana District Party Committee, Comrade Pirro Kondi; Chairman of the Executive Committee of the district People’s Council, Comrade Llambi Gegprifti; Minister of Foreign Affairs Reis Malile; Minister of Justice Enver Halili; Minister of Education Skënder Gjinuishi; and leading cadres of the central mass organizations. The brass band played the National Anthem. Comrade Pirro Kondi opened the rally and, among other things, said that the Com- great organization, the Democratic Front, for us war and labour veterans,” he said, “the Homeland, its freedom and independence, the Party and its lofty ideals are sacred. We fought and worked for them, shed blood and endured hardship for them, and made countless sacrifices and endured countless privations. Our wounds from the war still hurt, but we stand strong like our towering mountains. At this popular rally of the capital’s workers, the Front organization and the veterans support the historic decisions of the 11th Plenum and Comrade Ramiz Alia’s speech; their implementation will further strengthen people’s power and socialism through the further deepening of our democracy.” Albania has weathered many storms, our beloved homeland, but it has stood firm, remained on its feet and undefeated, with cou- (Continued on page 2)

(Photo: ATSH)