In today’s conditions, when the need to strengthen the hozhrashot is becoming increasingly apparent, one cannot neglect the role of transport and remain stuck in standard definitions—that concentrated transport is always effective, or that concentration is always the “A” of economic efficiency. Why emphasize this? Because whenever the need to apply more effective forms for evaluating the economic and financial activity of enterprises is discussed, and the transition is made to indicators of marketable output or the enterprise’s net income, many cite transport as an obstacle to this process. Despite the achievements in this sector, it remains a weak link in our economy. We believe the losses it causes should not be measured by the failure to meet this sector’s financial indicators in other enterprises, but by the damage it inflicts on the economic and financial activity of enterprises as a whole—not forgetting the fictitious transport expenses that today burden the cost of products in various sectors. TOPIC FROM THE 9TH PLENUM Over time, it became necessary to distinguish technological transport as well. Each form has had its advantages and shortcomings. Users were satisfied with the first, but the economy in general was not, because of the low level of vehicle-utilization indicators. At times, this was treated as an end in itself, detached from the degree of efficiency that this transport brought to the economy of the enterprise using it. No one can claim that the transition to concentrated transport reduced transport costs per unit of output in every case. Indeed, at the fish-canning enterprise in Shkodër, figures showed that after abandoning the concentration of transport vehicles and switching to in-house transport, transport costs fell, despite a considerable increase in assigned tasks. Concentrated transport here began to be accompanied by a fictitious volume of work, driven by motives such as fulfilling the overall plan or ensuring drivers’ wages; even the forest puts on leaves and grass, and then many people feel like taking at least a short walk there. Such was the day before yesterday, a very special day for the liveliness and joy prevailing there. So many people had come that, astonishingly, the Park seemed too small to hold them all. From the very “por- Many enterprises had reservations; indeed, some districts, such as Gjirokastra, Saranda, etc., have concentrated it and are very satisfied with the step they have taken. The issue is not that transport within enterprises should revert to the role of passenger cars, nor should it be demanded by enterprises or sectors that cannot take responsibility for it. The issue is that the way transport is organized should be dictated by the user’s own hozhrashot, and the user should benefit from whichever type of transport is most effective for them; in other words, transport should go to the user, rather than the user having to go every day to the transport enterprise’s branch. Under these conditions, the effectiveness of transport forms, as related to the user’s hozhrashot, is also called into question and dictated by the latter’s requirements. Can one say, for example, that this type of transport is effective for cigarette paper and filters—paper costing over 4,000 dollars a ton—when, after the mountain of it is unloaded at the port of Durrës, it is put into the port’s warehouses, then loaded onto other ships to be sent to Shëngjin and (Continued on page 2) ... the plan at the Executive Committee of the Kukës District People’s Council is inflated; overall industrial output is about 95 percent fulfilled. “We have the deficit,” he says, “at the Gjegjan copper mine, and consequently the copper plant also has considerable deficits. Copper ore extraction meets the target, but its quality is a serious shortcoming. Against the planned 2.85 percent, the figure at the copper mine is only 2.4 percent. Converted into metal, this represents a deficit of 115 tons for the copper plant.” This situation is a consequence of inadequate preparation of the production and concentration fronts. The 300 tons of concentrate, representing around 10 percent of the plan, are a major shortfall for the quarter. The Golaj enrichment plant continues once again to fall short of its planned schedule. The consequences of the Gjegjan mine’s failure to meet its target are reflected in the copper plant at Rexhepaj. The failures of these interlinked enterprises find an “umbrella” for excuses in one another’s weaknesses. NAIM ZOTO planning and the routine implementation of the service model. In some cases, the practice goes so far that agricultural cooperatives are provided with vehicles without trailers but are charged for them as if they had trailers. This time made available is turned into fictitious work volumes using coefficients, making the achieved ton-kilometres an end in themselves and prompting transport enterprises to cover long distances with vehicles, regardless of the users’ other needs. These shortcomings of concentrated transport are also why small users call for the in-house transport model: within the overall system of concentrated transport, their contracts are treated like the last hole in the flute. Put another way, these needs have been addressed by transport in the same manner, artificially inflating demand, with the aim of having the enterprise meet the needs even at a low percentage of fulfillment of

At work in the sausage department of the food enterprise in Lezhë. (Photo: N. Xhufka)

THE FIRST QUARTER OFF TO A GOOD START The builders’ example - MAT - 31 apartments in the town of Burrel and 20 more in Krashtë were completed by the builders almost two months ahead of schedule. In addition to these, there were projects scheduled to be completed during these three months. However, work progressed at such a pace that 7 projects were handed over by the end of March. According to Hysen Doda, head of the planning department, these are “only half” of the achievements of this quarter, because work was accelerated on all ongoing projects. This was the case both on the many railway projects and at the chromium enterprise complex in Klos, etc. Director Gëzim Kolaveri mentions securing the material supply on time and following every task step by step. Thus, the workers knew what they would do in January and what they would finish in February, but also in June—each month and each week. In addition, many brigades worked on a piece-rate basis. Starting in February, workers at a construction site in Krashtë raised a number of issues concerning the work schedule. The enterprise immediately organized a meeting with the workers. It emerged that supplies were irregular and the schedule was not being followed. The workers held the managers of their construction site accountable. “In fact,” says Halim Panavia, secretary of the enterprise Party bureau, “the very organization of the work and the assignment of specific tasks to the administration made the workers keen to hold them to account.” It was a triumph, with a volume of work never before achieved. ILIR DEDA

- PERMET - All the economic enterprises in the Përmet district exceeded their targets for the first quarter, producing 1.2 million lekë worth of industrial goods above plan and 240 thousand lekë worth of goods for export. of goods for export. The overfulfillment stems from increased productivity, accompanied by a rise in net income and contributions to the budget. We will highlight some of the products sold within the district. The wood-processing enterprise exceeded its production target by 370 thousand lekë. Furniture accounts for the largest share; it has been put on the market and is popular with buyers. Buyers also speak highly of the agricultural enterprise’s employees, because during the quarter agricultural production exceeded the plan by 2,000 quintals of milk, 360 quintals of vegetables, 122 thousand eggs, etc. Coordination between producers and sellers is felt all the way down to the workers. This is an incentive for further achievements. The trade authorities, knowing what buyers demand, are influencing the structure and types of production. Here is an example: the miscellaneous-products enterprise exceeded its quarterly target by 5 percent. The knitwear and garments produced by this enterprise are popular with buyers for their good quality and wide variety of styles. However, there are also complaints at the retail outlets, because styles are not supplied in line with demand for young people’s clothing. Of the 20 new styles introduced into production during this period, only 6 are for young people. The plan as a whole does its job. PËRP ARIM MUSTAFAJ

- KUKËS - One fact stands out in the district: chromium production meets and exceeds its target, while copper production falls considerably short. Kalimahsi and Gjegjani, then, are moving in opposite directions. More specifically, as Lutfi Noka, head of the planning section informs us, overall industrial production is fulfilled at around 95 percent. “The deficit,” he says, “is 2.4 percent. ... work in the surface-exploration sectors. As Lutfi goes on to say, this persistent failure has become a problem for the district Executive Committee; the latest analysis was carried out on March 30. The director of the copper mine himself, Qazim Laçi, has made a self-criticism and pledged that the situation will change. The Gjegjan mine’s most serious deficit is in concentrate production. to meet its target are reflected in the quality of the copper at Rexhepaj. The failures ...

The collective of the knitwear combine in Korçë stands out for its steady fulfillment of its tasks. IN THE PHOTO: At work in this combine. (Photo: G. Xhengo - ATSH)

A Sunday chronicle From the early hours of Sunday, groups of people strolling along the boulevard headed toward the capital’s Great Park. They were people of all ages and professions, dressed as if it were spring, seeking to relax and enjoy themselves amid the beauty and greenery that the Park generously offers its city. Most of them were young people From the early hours of Sunday, groups of people strolling along the boulevard headed toward the capital’s Great Park. They were people of all ages and professions, dressed as if it were spring, seeking to relax and enjoy themselves amid the beauty and greenery that the Park generously offers its city. Most of them were young men and women, but there were also many families, with children in strollers and carrying bags and watermelons filled with food, apparently on their way to a picnic. Tirana’s Great Park has long been one of the capital’s most frequented spots. And there is a reason for that. Located very close by, with its wonderful surroundings, beautiful grove of deciduous trees, karst springs, cafés and entertainment venues, it is visited almost every day of the year, whether winter or summer; but especially in spring, when the mimosa trees have just bloomed and the forest is dressed in leaves and grass, many people feel like going there, even for a short walk. The day before yesterday was like that too—a truly special day for the bustle and cheer that prevailed there. So many people had come that, remarkably, the Park seemed too small to hold them all. Right at its “gate,” at the fountain near the University, people were surprised by an exhibition set up on the steps around it. These were works by students of the Higher Institute of Arts, who had naturally presented some of their finest works to passers-by. It was a simple outdoor exhibition—or rather, an exhibition on the street—with no jury or ceremony: an exchange of experiences and ideas with friends and passers-by, accompanied by contemporary music broadcast through a loudspeaker, making the setting even more pleasant and intimate. People, scattered among the greenery and coolness of the park, strolled, played, listened to music or gathered in groups to sing old and new songs. The mobile sales stalls, every 10 meters, offered pastries, ice cream, armata, as well as ready-made food and drinks. A little farther on, a philatelic exhibition attracted visitors with new stamp issues that were soon to go into circulation. The sports center, too, seemed unwilling to lag behind in serving the people. In several spaces it had set up, volleyballs, children’s strollers and skating rinks were being made available, while a youth ensemble from the «Studenti» Palace of Culture was giving a concert of light music in the small square where the busts of the three Frashëri brothers stand. On the other side of the park, the large sports center, the Botanical Garden and the Zoological Garden also attracted many visitors. One cannot help saying: how lovely, how beautiful! Truly beautiful, but the capital’s residents think that the Great Park is not the only place where they can enjoy a pleasant Sunday; there are also Mount Dajti, the Fishermen’s Bridge, and… Meanwhile, even more could still be done in the Park. The Summer Theater, a very beautiful structure, reminiscent of an ancient classical theater, often stands silent, when amateur and professional performers could give concerts there; it could also be used as a summer cinema. More could also be done in the area of artistic performances, although it has been used so many times… In any case, the day in the capital’s Great Park radiated culture, civilization and harmony. (Photo: L. Lika)

- GJIROKASTËR - The targets for the first quarter have been exceeded in the plan for total industrial production, exports, the volume of construction, services to the population, and the other indicators for geology and the circulation of goods. The plan for milk production and for the production and delivery of eggs and vegetables was exceeded; the delivery targets for milk and meat have been met. Exports have increased considerably, a trend reflected in the efforts of the enterprises working for export, as well as the agricultural economies, to organize the collection of medicinal plants effectively. Agriculture continues to be threatened by weather conditions. Water levels are as low as in a dry July, and the soil is losing even the moisture it had. Shepherds and specialists are doing everything they can to prevent milk production from falling. There has also been growth in the spring-work campaign, in cultivation and planting. 1,700 ha of wheat have been irrigated, mainly by making use of natural flows. Maize planting is also progressing well. But tobacco planting is behind schedule.

The complete abolition of Kosovo’s autonomy is Serbia’s objective. This would make it the ruler over the interests of the Albanian population in this province. For that reason, Belgrade is employing some of the most antidemocratic methods and the most brutal means to achieve this goal. It took its first step in legal form on March 28 of last year, when, through the force of tanks and various forms of pressure—political, psychological, economic, etc.—it managed to force the Kosovo Assembly to approve the constitutional amendments it had imposed. And rightly, Yugoslav and international public opinion called them, unlike the constitutional amendments of about a year earlier, the «Constitution of the Tanks». Such unconstitutional and antidemocratic actions aroused even greater hatred and revolt among the people of Kosovo, since they not only failed to put them on an equal footing with the other nations of Yugoslavia, but, on the contrary, further restricted the rights granted to them by the Yugoslav Constitution itself. The Albanian population of Kosovo expressed its opposition to Serbia’s political, economic, legislative and national restrictions through peaceful, mass, democratic demonstrations for freedom, equality and justice. Faced with the determination and wisdom of the Kosovar Albanians, the Serbs began to escalate their plans to eliminate Kosovo’s autonomy step by step, by unjust means. They brought forward the judicial scandal of the poisoning of Albanian children and their military presence in this province. Through this ugly act, the Serbs found a way to establish full police control, ostensibly to clarify the situation and restore order in the province. Part of their effort was the decision of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Serbia «to undertake measures to protect the constitutional order in Kosovo». This led to hundreds of Albanian police officers in Kosovo being demobilized and replaced by 2,500 Serbian police officers and militiamen. Under these conditions, control of the military and police apparatus in Kosovo passed entirely into Serbian hands. To legitimize such actions, as well as other constitutional changes in the interests of Serbian hegemonism, Belgrade’s politicians also needed the approval of the Kosovo Assembly. They had even set the date for its session, March 26 of this year. But apparently, this time neither the tanks nor the state of emergency gave them the necessary confidence that they would obtain the votes of approval they desired. Therefore, the meeting of the Kosovo Assembly was postponed until a date more suitable for Serbia. Unconstitutional methods cannot solve the Kosovo problem.

COPPER BEING DUMPED INTO THE RIVER! A short while ago I was in Fushë-Arrëz, at the copper-enrichment plant. What I saw there made me happy. The enriched copper, extracted with such great effort from Gjegjani in Kukës, Qaf-Mali in Pukë and Palaj in Shkodër—not to mention the high transportation costs—was pouring out of the plant’s vats and, crossing the gravelly ground, ending up straight in the river. This problem was raised once before in the newspaper, about a year ago, but the situation has not only failed to improve; I can say it has become worse. And why? Because of the absence of a concrete wall around the field and the leveling of the yard, both of which would cost very little compared with the waste of copper concentrate. How long will this situation continue? How do the responsible comrades justify this conduct? MYFTAR KATANA Shkodër