According to the conditions of each area — In hilly and mountainous areas, in addition to the garden, a cooperative family is to have up to 2 dynym around the house; whereas in the plains, the total area, including the garden, is to be up to 2 dynym of land — Three days ago, our newspaper published the article “When We Discuss the Personal Plot.” Drawing on the experience of agricultural economies, it answered several questions that had arisen about implementing the Political Bureau’s decision “On Increasing and Strengthening the Cooperative Household Plot.” Nevertheless, in some agricultural cooperatives, and also in certain districts, there is still confusion, misunderstanding and incorrect interpretation of it. AFTER A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION The reason for returning to the subject of this article was a telephone conversation with the Party Committee of the Skrapar District. The gist of the conversation was: the article about the personal plot will create problems for us; we have counted an area of 300 m2 as the garden. To learn in greater detail how land had been distributed in Skrapar under the decision, we called again. Here is the conversation: — What specifically have you done to implement the decision? — Our district is hilly and mountainous. In addition to the garden around the house, families are being given up to 2 dynym of land. — How large is this garden? — For all families, we have defined the garden as the area around the house planted with grapevines, trees and vegetables, but no more than 300 m2. In hilly and mountainous areas, in addition to the garden, a cooperative family is to have up to 2 dynym around the house; whereas in the plains, the total area, including the garden, is to be up to 2 dynym of land — each area has its own specific circumstances. It is therefore understood that the village will decide how much additional land, up to two dynym, is to be allocated beyond the garden. The village may decide, in view of the specific conditions, that the additional area will be one dynym, one and a half dynym, or even two. Where the cooperative has limited land, a smaller area may be allocated, and to make up the difference, new land may be opened up or pastures and meadows may be made available for shared use. The village will always decide on these matters. AT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE To clarify several issues that had arisen in implementing the decision, a meeting was held on August 4, 1990, at the Council of Ministers’ offices with the chairmen of the executive committees of the district People’s Councils and the heads of agriculture sections. At this meeting, those districts that were proceeding slowly were admonished. At the same time, several questions were answered. For example, how large is the garden? It may be 200, 400, or up to one dynym. Land for the personal plot is allocated by family, not by number of household members. Even in exceptional cases, the size of the plot in hilly and mountainous areas will always be less than three dynym and will never exceed three dynym. We also met with the director of the Ballaban agricultural cooperative. The issue was considered by the cooperative’s presidium, and 80 ha of land were made available for 370 families. The people’s councils of each village discussed the matter at village level and decided that the land should be allocated next to the shared cooperative plot. The decisions were implemented immediately, and they have now set to work on the cooperative’s seasonal tasks and on preparing the plot for planting according to each family’s needs. The same has been done in the agricultural cooperatives of Ogren, Mican, Kajcë, Mert [?]. ...rural. Families, in addition to the garden around the house, are being given up to 2 dynym of land. — How large is this garden? — By a garden for all families, we mean the area around the house planted with vegetables and fruit trees; but no more than 300 m². If it is larger, the excess will be deducted and counted toward the land given to families, up to 2 dynym. A family may not use more than 2 dynym and 300 m² of land. Let us offer a few thoughts on this. The decision states: around the house, a cooperative family will have up to 2 dynym of land for producing fodder for the livestock kept in its private yard, and for vegetables. The garden is standard for every family, every village and every cooperative. Each has ...or up to a dynym. Land in the private yard is allocated by family, not by the number of people. Even in special cases, the size of a yard in a hilly and mountainous area exceed three dynym. Yesterday we met with Hysen Xhamallati, director of the Cooperatives Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture, who told us: “There have been misinterpretations; we have clarified them on an ongoing basis, as have the districts themselves, and the press has also helped. Progress is better throughout the entire lowland area. But in some cooperatives in the districts of Pukë, Mirditë, etc., there have been delays and problems have arisen. Ultimately, the village itself resolves them together with the managers and economic staff. There should not be uniform, standard solutions. SELIM HOXHA

In the district of Përmet, the agriculture section’s cadastral office has recorded the number of families in the 23 agricultural cooperatives and the amount of land each household will receive. The decision and relevant instructions had been made known, and measures had been set for distributing the land as quickly as possible, so that it could be planted with fodder crops and vegetables. The district agriculture section’s cadastral office in Përmet has recorded the number of families in the 23 agricultural cooperatives and the amount of land each household will receive. The decision and relevant instructions had been made known, and measures had been set for distributing the land as quickly as possible, so that it could be planted with fodder crops and vegetables. The right approach was taken in Kajcë, Mert [?]. The measures taken were implemented immediately, and now they have set to work on the cooperative’s current tasks and on preparing the yard been done in the agricultural cooperatives of Ogren, Miçan, Kajçë and Mertin. At district level, however, of the 1,200 ha to be distributed to cooperative families, 300 ha have been distributed. Distribution has not begun in seven agricultural cooperatives. To prevent this problem from dragging on, initiative and concrete action are needed: simply waiting for the inventories sent in from the villages means the decision is not implemented on time. This also obstructs planning for autumn planting. PËRPARIM MUSTAFAJ volunteer correspondent for «Zëri i Popullit»

— Referring to unjustified absences from work and administrative leave, which in Durrës amount to tens of thousands of person-days — There are many unjustified absences from work in the district of Durrës. The problem is very important, visible and concrete. But the response to this phenomenon is not everywhere concrete, effective or preventive. Let us begin with a positive example: at the sand-processing plant [?], unjustified absences from work had become a problem. Could this situation be allowed to continue? Where was the concern of the trade-union organization, of all the workers? The issue was discussed seriously and at length. Whom are we harming? Production, society, ourselves. Why does this happen? Because we allow it ourselves. Does this failing demonstrate political and ideological maturity or a high degree of consciousness on our part? It does not. Do we have the ability and strength to improve the situation? It is in our own hands; our comrades are here, standing together. We must make concessions to no one and must not give way to sentimentality or indifference. And the conclusion was clear: administrative leave should not be handed out by brigade leaders, supervisors and so on as if they were sports tickets. Instead, it was decided that such leave would be granted for up to 12 days a year, as stipulated by the Labor Code, because there may be serious reasons, but not a flood of them, as has happened. We must take a firm stand toward one another over unjustified absences. This is only to our benefit. By keeping the issue in their own hands and monitoring it regularly, both through the trade-union organization and the management, unjustified absences at the sand-processing plant are now almost zero, and administrative leave is granted only in special cases, when fully justified, and never for more than 12 days a year. Does this happen everywhere? Inspections have shown that workers leave their jobs, arrive late, miss one or several days of work, and so on. This is a troubling issue, and the workers’ own concern about it is not at the required level. We have spoken, and will continue to speak, about oversight by enterprise administrations. It is their duty to carry out this oversight better, because some administrations themselves have weaknesses within their ranks: they have absences and departures from working hours. This is a separate problem that requires greater attention. But what are the workers themselves doing? Why are trade-union organizations in some enterprises silent, when we know perfectly well that failing to spend working time on productive labor, and instead wasting it in aimless wandering or leaving the enterprise without reason, harms production, quality and productivity, and ultimately everyone’s income? They know well that the more social income grows, the more personal well-being grows too. But well-being does not fall from the sky; it requires everyone’s work and sweat, not idleness. Yet some trade-union organizations play this issue down considerably: “Come on, it’s not the end of the world if a few workers are absent; they’re our comrades,” forgetting the political, ideological and economic essence of proletarian labor discipline. And when concessions are made here and there, the “few” absences that seem insignificant to some accumulate, come together and become a mountain. Specifically, during the first six months of this year, Durrës recorded 30,553 person-days of unjustified absence. That is no small figure. It amounts to an average of 218 workers not working every day. It means millions of lekë worth of lost production. Compared with the first six months of last year, this figure has increased. At the chemical enterprise, there were 650 person-days of unjustified absence during this period last year, and now there are 1,371; at the plastics enterprise, the figure rose from 791 to 1,932; at the seaport, from 2,476 to 3,460; at the nail-and-bolt factory, from 550 to 1,536 person-days of unjustified absence from work. In other words, almost twice as many. Does this picture speak of a militant spirit [?] among the workers themselves? Does it show that the trade-union organizations are playing an active role? Does this honor these workers, who are masters of the enterprise, but who, through such actions, undermine, but who, through such actions, undermine, but who, through such actions, undermine [?], the trade-union organizations, actions, undermine [?]? Another phenomenon occurs as well: administrative leave is granted in a steady stream. In the Durrës district, during the first six months of this year, it amounted to 21,936 person-days. Some supervisors and managers are overly generous; others are indifferent, forgetting who bears the cost of this lost time, which yields no productivity or output. Specifically, at NPV, 2,924 person-days of administrative leave were granted, about 800 more than in the same period last year. At the glass factory, 1,225, or 400 more than last year; at ORMN, 849, or 300 more; at NN-Porti, 957, or 400 more than in the same period last year, and so on. By what right do some managers abuse the system, from the brigade leader right up to the director, granting such leave and then, when they fail to meet the plan—as has happened in several of these enterprises—demand even more and blame only difficulties outside the enterprise? Why do they themselves create these difficulties within their own enterprises? The trade-union organizations must also become a barricade against this harmful “generosity,” which damages production and society, as well as the individual who later sees its “benefit” in their own pocket. By holding themselves and one another more accountable, and by strengthening discipline among every worker, the trade-union organizations must, with the full authority of the class they represent, hold managers to account even more firmly. Everyone, from the simplest worker to the most senior manager, has a duty to strengthen proletarian labor discipline. Socialism, society and the people need everyone’s intelligence and work.

IN KORÇË: Initially, good work was done in the district of Korçë to publicize the Council of Ministers’ decision on several measures to better meet housing needs, through seminars with the chairmen of neighborhood people’s councils and activists working on housing issues. In all the neighborhoods, the joint instruction of the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Public Utilities was also explained, setting out the ways and means of building private homes. Following this explanatory work with the public, those interested did not delay in registering their names and submitting applications to build. Their number has now reached 250 and is growing. What happened next? Design studies for residential construction were carried out in the neighborhoods of “Koci Bako,” “Mitingu i Shkronjave” and “Miha Lako.” From April until today, the executive committee of the city People’s Council has approved the applications of 54 residents to build private homes. There was no lack of effort to publicize the decision, nor of applications. But in practice, concrete progress remains limited. Despite 54 applications having been approved, construction has begun on only 13 homes. Of these, 11 are being built by the municipal enterprise and two by the residents themselves. The construction enterprise still is not ... (Continued on page 2)

In the face of drought Agricultural workers in the district of Librazhd are carefully using every water source to irrigate the crops. Large areas receive water through 20 pumping stations, mainly along the Shkumbin River. So far, about 10,500 hectares of various crops have been irrigated, including corn, fodder crops, vegetables, and so on. The daily rate reaches 170 hectares. The cooperative members of Përrenjas and the workers of the agricultural enterprise are setting a good example; they have irrigated 1,800 and 1,300 hectares respectively. High rates have also been achieved at the Bërzhashte, Qukës and Zdrajsh agricultural economies. (According to ATSH)

In the district of Lushnjë, work is being carried out on 1,000 ha, accompanied by intensive cultivation work on cotton to achieve the planned yields for this crop. As a result, conditions are generally good in the fields of Këmishtaj, Toshkëz, the K. Kashtabare farm, Toshkëz, Ngurrëz, Këmishtaj, and so on. To increase the effectiveness of irrigation, which is ... ... accompanied by loosening the soil and removing weeds. In plots where growth is normal and early, treatment with a hoe continues; for the first time, this has been carried out on more than 3,500 ha. (According to ATSH)

At this time of year, like every village, Pasinka welcomes and bids farewell to guests. It is no accident that villagers have left the year’s great celebrations for this late-summer season. Wanting to experience these distinctive features of village life, you enter little Pasinka, with its 27 houses, at the entrance to Gollobordë, very close to the border. The road descends into the vast Rramnagorë woodland. The meadows, although surrounded by forest, have felt the heat of this summer. Yet here the forest remains forest, with tall, straight oaks, cool canopies, and streams and herds of cows grazing on green grass. “Here, concern for the forest begins Pasinka,” says Bahri Rus, first secretary of the District Youth Committee, with whom we made the journey. Meanwhile, his fellow traveler’s hand gently strokes an old cherry tree trunk beside the road. Mitro Tane, chairman of the Otrën cooperative and a son of Pasinka, also speaks of the apples, pears and other fruit trees that grow in the forest. “It has become a custom in the village: whoever finds a wild tree in the forest grafts it with a cultivated variety. Let it be out of the way; the passer-by, shepherd or woodcutter can enjoy it. Nobody picks it,” he says. AN ADDITION TO THE COOPERATIVE STATUTE Beside the sector’s warehouses, a slight young man in his thirties, brigade leader Hajredin Jashari, says that there are seven brothers in his household, that they all work in the cooperative, and that they have made a very good living. But of all that Dinja says, what stays with you is his idea of the cooperative, which he calls an agreement among fellow villagers to increase production, provide for families, improve well-being and harmony, and beautify their birthplace. Later, there in the village center, some young people point out a dogwood grove and the ground beside it. What does this mean? A few years ago, they say, a chairman came to the cooperative. He was from Pelgu i Drinit and muttered that they had put him in that village to fix things for his friends. As soon as he saw the dogwood trees on that steep slope, he ordered them uprooted and the hillside turned into land for growing bread grain. Some others also wanted this to happen. The orders fell like an axe on the dogwood trees and a whole row was uprooted. The village elders were angered. “Don’t do that!” they cried. “We can bring from our own plots as much corn as that slope would produce, you ... ‘Don’t cut down our dogwood trees and ruin our tradition,’ the elders told the chairman. And the tradition was not lost; despite bureaucratic ... There are now around 100 dogwood trees by every family. Nobody uproots or touches them. The dogwood trees hold the soil, protect the houses, and provide the rare rakia kept for guests; meanwhile, the village women use their abundant harvest to make jam, syrup and other drinks. Tradition, passion and the villagers’ initiative multiplied Pasinka’s trees. Seen from above, the houses are difficult to distinguish amid the greenery of the grapevines. In places, the village roads look like green tunnels. Plums, cherries, chestnuts, pears, black mulberries, Izmir grapes that nobody touches, and especially delicious Tetovo apples. The banks of the river and streams are filled with walnut trees, about 50 for every family. Houses, yards, slopes and riverbanks are immersed in the green of trees, which this year have only ... (Continued on page 3)

Discussing a new project at the technological bureau of the Electromedical Enterprise. (Photo: N. Xhufka) Discussing a new project at the technological bureau of the Electromedical Enterprise. (Photo: N. Xhufka)