What is the role of the ministries in implementing and elaborating the decisions of the 11th Plenum of the Party’s Central Committee on expanding services for the people? Is Tirana becoming a laboratory for advanced experience in this regard, as the Party has called for for some time, and especially now? With this concern in mind, yesterday we approached the leading comrades of the relevant ministries: the Minister of Light Industry, Comrade Bashkim Syja, and the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Internal Trade, Comrade Robert Gjini. The truth is that from the conversations we had with these leading comrades, as well as with employees and specialists in these fields, we learn that so far good work has been done to understand and theoretically elaborate the relevant tasks and decisions, as well as, in a broader framework, the new economic mechanism. Seminars and meetings of activists have been held for this purpose at the zonal level. Department directors and ministry specialists have gone to the grassroots. The relevant guidelines and criteria for the activity of enterprises and service units operating on a self-accounting basis have been sent to enterprises and districts. This is the alpha. But, of course, what is required, what is most important, concerns rapid changes in services for the people: opening new units, diversifying services, and creating such opportunities that people leave satisfied when they enter shops and municipal service units. The people will not be satisfied simply with the 150 municipal service units that have been set as a target; those opened so far can be counted on one’s fingers? It is said that with the transition to the new mechanism, the state vegetable market will improve and become more vibrant. Very good as an aim, and as regards the achievements so far, but let us not forget that the number of vegetable outlets operating on a self-accounting basis in some enterprises can also be counted on one’s fingers! Go into some social catering establishments such as «Drini», «Muzeu» or «Rinia», where they say they operate under a self-accounting system, making better use of the price lever as well. It is very good that they have made a start, but citizens continue to be dissatisfied even with these establishments. Not to meet a demand or need more quickly and with greater courtesy, but simply out of curiosity, one can go around Tirana and almost nowhere spot a new service unit—and thus new faces and employees in these units, or new products made according to people’s needs and tastes. Much is heard about these things, especially at meetings, but the variety of units still «blossoms» in reports and files. It is indeed the beginning; there are indeed difficulties and many problems that must be solved and tackled at the same time. But none of this justifies sluggishness or a lack of action and initiative, either on the part of the state authorities or of the district’s economic enterprises. And this is not only about Tirana. But in the state and economic bodies in the district, which are responsible for expanding municipal services, [the article continues with the interview with Comrade PALI MISKA, introduced in the following article]. on their own. This is the starting point. But, of course, what is needed, what matters most, is connected with offering a variety of services, and creating conditions that leave people satisfied when they enter commercial premises and municipal service units. The people are not satisfied simply by the ministries’ overall reports that, for example, 42 municipal enterprises have moved to independent accounting, still less when it is a matter of 20 commercial enterprises across the whole country. Many units of Tirana’s municipal enterprises have entered this system, and they deserve recognition for that. But this is only a beginning. Where are the new units that are said to be opening in Tirana? Where is the growth? Where are the shortcomings that need to be addressed and overcome? But none of this justifies sluggishness, a lack of action and initiative on the part of either the district authorities or the district’s economic enterprises. And this does not concern Tirana alone. If the authorities and economic bodies in the district do not know how, or are unable, to do what is necessary and required, what are the relevant ministries doing? Do they consider their duty fulfilled by the seminars they have organized and the instructions and orders they issue to local bodies? It has been said time and again that Tirana should be a laboratory for the whole country. Let us make it one for implementing as quickly and as effectively as possible the decisions concerning municipal service units and commercial units! our people need in order to cope and make a living through hard work, to earn more for themselves and for society, alongside our need both for more varied and more accessible services and to employ as many young men and women as possible, gradually creating new generations of skilled workers, new generations of people of action. And in all this, the ministries must not think that responsibility for carrying out the tasks belongs only to the executive committees, while these committees, for their part, should not wait for the ministry to solve everything for them. A new approach and a radical turnaround are needed in municipal services and in revitalizing the commercial network. Above all, more action, more creation, more reporting of concrete achievements.

INTERVIEW OF THE DAY With concrete measures, discipline and strict control – Yesterday at the Office of the Council of Ministers – Yesterday, at the Office of the Council of Ministers, the situation that had arisen was analyzed with the chairmen of the executive committees of the district People’s Councils, and measures were set out to cope with the extraordinary conditions created by the very hot, dry weather. The meeting was chaired by Comrade PALI MISKA, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Agriculture. To learn about some of the directions and tasks facing our workers, the state authorities and the economy in this situation, we conducted the following interview with Comrade PALI MISKA: – Everyone knows that the situation with water reserves overall is among the most serious observed in recent years, and it is becoming even more critical by the day. This applies to drinking water, livestock health, crop irrigation, industrial water supply and electricity production. This reality must be recognized and understood as it is, and assessed accordingly, with a very high level of concern and awareness. In this situation, it is clear that there is only one alternative: to use the water available rationally and with strict accounting, allocating it in the directions and proportions that ensure its effective use for as long as possible. To apply this basic principle in practice, repeated words and instructions alone are not enough. On the contrary, concrete measures, thoughtful work, discipline and a high level of awareness are required. First of all, emergency situation headquarters must be established everywhere. The formalism that has often been observed must be eliminated from them. They must be staffed by experienced cadres, specialists and workers, among the most competent. Headquarters should be established at district, city and economic-unit levels, as well as in united villages and individual villages. They must function regularly and without interruption, day after day and hour after hour. The main focus of their work must be to insist that the instructions they issue be followed by everyone, without exception. It is essential that these headquarters be led by competent comrades, beginning with the chairman of the executive committee at the district headquarters, and so on. At present, there is no greater task or more pressing problem for the economy and production than the problem of water. Special efforts are needed to instill such conviction among the people, cooperative members, workers, specialists and cadres that not a single litre of water is wasted. To this end, every form and means of propaganda should be used in every district, economic unit, village, plant, factory, neighbourhood and everywhere else. The motto everywhere should be: Extraordinary circumstances call for conviction, awareness and extraordinary measures. The headquarters that have been established must make and remake accurate calculations in light of conditions that change every day. They must adopt appropriate measures and exercise authority to prevent, first of all, hardships that may arise, especially among the people and livestock. Measures must also be taken to avert, as far as possible, the consequences and damage to agricultural crops. For this purpose, correct and precise criteria must be put into practice for allocating water to crops with the greatest and most urgent needs, such as vegetables, potatoes, maize, sugar beet, etc. Specialists, production masters and brigade leaders must be placed at the head of this work in every sector and brigade, so that they can competently direct the irrigation process and ensure the normal growth of the plants using the most economical rates possible. In our working methods, rigorous control and strict accountability must be the main motto.

– Tepelenë – Fifty percent of the maize area that can no longer receive water has begun to be harvested for use as feed for livestock.

– Vlorë – High temperatures and the limited amount of water—set against the plants’ great need for moisture—are creating a special state of mobilization. The motto of the district’s agricultural workers

– Elbasan – Thanks to its abundant water sources, Elbasan has no problems securing drinking water. However, even though the situation is like this, many families in the city feel

feed for livestock. Every effort is being made on the remaining area to save each plant from drying out. Six reservoirs in the district have dried up completely, while eight others contain only 600,000 cubic metres of water, out of their total capacity of 8 million. Only 400 hectares of maize in the Vjosa valley, irrigated by electric pumps, are still being watered. It is precisely on this area that efforts are being made not only to meet the planned targets but to exceed them, in order to reduce the anticipated shortfall in this crop. The Dukaj cooperative is doing better in this regard. In this economic unit, 55 hectares of maize are still being watered; the land has been divided into eight plots, which have been allocated by agreement to cooperative members. So far, these plots have been irrigated five times, and they are expected to receive another three irrigations each. This year, allocating maize plots by agreement has increased care in the use of electricity, with the aim of reducing the cost of maize production. JORGO ZHONGA

mobilization. The motto of the agricultural workers of the Vlorë district is to use water as productively as possible. How much water did you take, how many irrigations?—this is the question used for monitoring as well. The state of the water reserves also makes this necessary. At the current rate of irrigation, even though demand is increasing, the water reserves will be sufficient until the middle of August. It is clear how critical the situation is and how great the responsibility is to use water according to precise criteria. Even now, there are cadres in Lubonjë, Sevaster, Risili and some other economic units who allow waste, transferring water from one canal to another; others allow the units that come later to be deprived of their fair share. As a result, the central sector of the Lakatund Agricultural Enterprise faces water difficulties because of Lubonja and Risilia. Çerkovina and Panajaja are using water reserves allocated for Bestrova and Zvërnec, etc. These actions are not only unlawful, but in the present situation concern alone is not enough: measures must be implemented to put a stop to waste. Concern about irrigation matters now, not after the harvest. VANGJEL STEFA correspondent of «Zëri i popullit».

Thanks to its rich water resources, Elbasan has no problems securing drinking water. Yet, despite this situation, the city’s population feels the shortage of water. More than 50 apartment buildings have problems with their water supply. Meanwhile, some blocks and areas are more privileged in this respect, as they get water all day or three times a day, while in around 500 other households water comes only once, in the morning or at lunchtime. Why do these disparities occur when the reserves are sufficient for the whole city? First, because the connections from some apartment buildings to the main branches have been made narrower in some places and wider in others; and second, because there are many leaks in the network. Considerable quantities of water are wasted in citizens’ gardens and plots to water orange trees. This is compounded by its use to irrigate the city’s flower gardens, where around 15 litres of drinking water are used per second. There is every possibility of doing this with industrial water or water from the Shkumbin River, so as not to use drinking water. Therefore, even though there are sufficient reserves, there is no reason not to conserve water. Indeed, strong measures should also be taken to manage it. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit».

The BR organizations in the district of Berat, in support of the Movement «As the youth is today, so will the Homeland be tomorrow», are carrying out numerous educational and recreational activities during their free time. The activities of these organizations from the enterprises of Stalin City and the textile combine have included the flower garden, Kapinova Castle, and the foothills of Mount Tomor. Together with the young people, artists have held themed afternoons, where they have shared their experience of the work of the organization and of production. At the agricultural cooperative of Perondia, in addition to meetings and discussions with veterans and outstanding workers, where young people learn about economic progress during the years of people’s power, cultural and artistic activities have also been organized. In recent days, a themed afternoon was held with the young people of the district, where they shared their experience in making use of working time, the care they show during scientific experimentation, etc. The most outstanding young people were given moral and material incentives. (ATSH)

As we approach the island, its massive rocky contours and steep shores, lashed by the sea on all four sides, become increasingly distinct. The approach also lets us make out clearly the valley that divides the island into almost two equal parts, starting from the Bay of Xhenem in the West and reaching Shënkollë in the East. The Mezokanal Strait separates it from the Karaburun Peninsula and Cape Gjuhëz. A flock of birds, perhaps wild pigeons, flies out of the pine forest and settles on the branches of the cypresses beside the paved road leading into the town. At its centre stand several apartment buildings, around which the social and cultural centre is set back; these give the town the pulse and movement of its inhabitants. At midday, the first inhabitants to appear before us are the children. You cannot understand life in a town or village without their presence. They run in front of the cinema club like a flock of happy pigeons. Sazan. In ancient sources, 2,600 years ago, an author of the time, Skilaksi, mentions it by the name Sason. Who knows, perhaps the island has been inhabited since antiquity. That is another matter. Perhaps archaeology has something more to say about it. Nevertheless, I get to know the island’s oldest resident, the worker Abdyl Kamberi. He came from Përmet 25 years ago with his wife Zenepja and has long since made a home here. All five of their children were born here, too. Some call him «the island’s grandfather». And they are right. A quarter of a century is no small span of time to be called a «veteran» of one of the most unusual towns in the whole country. When we asked him what brought him from Përmet, the cradle of folk music, birthplace of the distinguished Frashërllinjtë, the place where the blue Vjosa flows and Mount Trebeshina rises, fragrant with tea and clover, he smiles and speaks calmly: «I love Përmet as I love my own eyes. Whoever does not love their birthplace does not love themselves. Let alone anything else!» For Abdyl Kamberi, every corner and every inch of Albania is like Përmet. This sea, too, sometimes rough and full of waves, sometimes calm and blue like the eyes of a smiling girl, reminds him of the Vjosa; these crags with their steep slopes bring Trebeshina to mind. All of them have found a deep place in his heart. (To be continued on page 3)

Discussing a new work process at the electrotechnical enterprise in Tirana. (Photo: N. Xhufka) Discussing a new work process at the electrotechnical enterprise in Tirana. (Photo: N. Xhufka)