Our entire people followed the proceedings of the People’s Assembly at its 7th session during these days. It discussed and adopted decisions on important problems connected with deepening the democratization of the country as a whole, such as improving the economic mechanism and legislation. The deputies brought to this Assembly the revolutionary atmosphere and enthusiasm aroused everywhere by the recent decisions of the Party Central Committee Plenums, as well as by Comrade Ramiz Alia’s warm and heartfelt speeches and conversations last week in the southern district. The report presented on the new economic mechanism, the discussions, and the laws adopted crown a broad debate among workers, cadres, and specialists at every level, aimed at specifying, elaborating, and implementing as effectively as possible the important ideas and decisions of the Party Central Committee’s 9th and 10th Plenums. This spirit of discussion and debate also characterized the proceedings of this session of the People’s Assembly. The laws adopted concerning the new economic mechanism reflect the Party’s constant concern and measures to democratize the country’s life, in keeping with the dialectics of development and the teachings of Comrade Enver Hoxha. As was emphasized in the Assembly, they concern essential aspects of our state’s economic and social policy, and bring significant qualitative changes to the economic mechanism and to the organization and management of production, giving priority to methods… The Assembly’s decisions establish the new approach required for managing an enterprise on its own account, in accordance with the requirements of economic laws. They harmonize and coordinate more fully the enterprise’s relative independence and self-financing with the unified state plan. In this way, the influence of those factors is corrected and eliminated—especially bureaucratic and liberal manifestations—which have led to the dominance of administrative management methods, excessive concentration of powers, and restrictions on particular elements of management on the enterprise’s own account. By reflecting qualitative developments in every branch of the economy, these laws invigorate enterprise activity by freeing its management from outdated elements and ineffective practices. Management on its own account, and the new economic mechanism as a whole, are based on economic thought and logic. The decisions adopted by the People’s Assembly through the laws it approved are undoubtedly a living expression of the deepening of the working masses’ democracy in the country’s economic life. Enterprises and their collectives now have greater rights in planning, production and distribution, exports and imports, the allocation of labor and wages, and the calculation of the financial and foreign-currency funds they generate. The new mechanism directly encourages workers to increase production and improve its indicators, use investments efficiently, economize and achieve profitability, and advance technology and techniques, etc. In… …new measures and laws have now begun to be put into effect. Work has started in individual units and areas, while in their larger complexes it begins with the preparation and implementation of the 1991 plan. This process, which is not an easy one, entails a comprehensive set of measures relating both to understanding and interpreting the requirements for this mechanism to function, and to other methodological, organizational, and technical measures. In any case, everyone—from the ordinary worker to the central apparatuses—has been given work requiring both militant commitment and dedication, and swift, creative, well-considered action. The transfer of more powers to the grassroots increases their responsibility to make maximum use of the opportunities created by the new mechanism in order to achieve the fundamental goal set by the Party in introducing it. These responsibilities will be reflected from the outset in the work and broad mobilization needed to fulfill this year’s plans as fully as possible in all their indicators. Thus, by increasing production and revenues, expanding exports, lowering costs, etc., we will enter the system of management on our own account better prepared—not only with sound convictions, but also in terms of material reserves and financial resources. The responsibility accompanying the transfer of powers and, more broadly, the new economic mechanism must also be embodied in the preparation of next year’s plan. The laws adopted by the People’s Assembly specify and establish new responsibilities and duties for state and economic bodies. [The visible text begins mid-sentence.] of the country, adhering to aspects of our state’s economic and social policy, with important qualitative changes in the economic mechanism and in the organization of management and production, giving priority to economic methods in keeping with the new nature of our social order. Thus, the improvements being made are not partial but fundamental; they are a necessity and a demand of the times. The changes and adjustments take into account the country’s economic situation, the abilities and level of our people, and the experience gained. At the same time, however, they also respond to new prospects for the country’s comprehensive development. The new mechanism opens wider avenues for the initiative and independent action of the working masses in pursuit of progress, and for more effective use of the human, material and scientific potential available to the country. In this way, it creates greater opportunities to further raise the people’s well-being and strengthen the country’s defensive capacity even more. The Assembly underscored the important idea emphasized by the Party at recent Plenums: the measures being taken and the changes being made are not of a technical-organizational nature; above all, they have profound political, economic and social content. They should therefore not be viewed as matters of indicators and competences. On the contrary, they express relationships to be established on new foundations between centralism and democracy, and between the interests of society and those of the collective and each worker. The Law on Enterprises, the laws on prices and tariffs and on the drafting and implementation of the state budget, as well as the other laws considered and adopted by the Assembly, [cover] exports and imports, the fields of labor and wages, and the use of the financial and foreign-currency funds generated. The new mechanism encourages workers to take a more direct role in increasing production and improving its indicators, using investments more productively, achieving savings and profitability, and advancing engineering and technology, etc. In this way, these laws embody the fundamental interests of the workers and the aim of development and progress, well-being and comprehensive emancipation. The unanimous approval by the deputies of the laws for improving the economic mechanism constitutes a sound foundation and a guarantee that the working masses, cadres and specialists will work and struggle tirelessly, with a creative spirit and dedication, to put them into effect. Of course, this is not easy and will not happen by itself. The Party has emphasized this at its Plenums. This was the spirit in which the matter was discussed and duties were set out at the People’s Assembly as well. The measures adopted to improve the economic mechanism, it was said at the Assembly, encompass every area of the country’s economic and social life. Under these conditions, it is important that all workers at every level fully and deeply understand and implement them. This cannot be accomplished through ordinary, simple technical work. On the contrary, it must become a major political, economic and social campaign, both immediate and long-term. This campaign must be led by Party bodies and organizations, and requires the full and high-quality engagement of all the Party’s levers, cadres and specialists at the grassroots and in the ministries. This is essential, but it is not all that is required for the new economic mechanism to demonstrate its advantages and deliver the tangible results expected. The Assembly therefore stressed the decisive importance of [unclear text] of the activity of UNDP and other specialized organizations, was recognized.

«Zëri…»’s daily report At a fast pace — DURRËS — Many enterprises that are organizing their work on a solid scientific basis and in an assertive spirit have successfully fulfilled the tasks set for this period. Among them we can mention the chemical enterprise, which during the past four-month period produced goods worth more than 1.5 million lekë above plan. To date, it has achieved 102 percent of its export plan, 101 percent of its cost target, and 105 percent of its labor productivity target. Its workforce now expects to complete the monthly plan several days ahead of schedule. Yesterday’s plan was satisfactorily fulfilled, which is further evidence of this. Land-reclamation work has also laid a very good foundation not only for the six-month period but for the entire year, fulfilling the period’s tasks at nearly 115 percent and exceeding all the other work indicators. The workers of the decorative-materials production enterprise in Kavajë are likewise working at a revolutionary pace. They have substantially exceeded their export targets, delivering several hundred thousand lekë worth above plan, and produced six new articles for export and domestic use, made of alabaster and ceramic. The forestry enterprise is also at the forefront, increasing its pace in industrial production and meeting its export plan in various categories, where overfulfillment has been recorded. The export plan for the first ten days of this month has been fulfilled. The workers of the cotton collection enterprise in Rrogozhinë have achieved similarly strong results, completing their ten-day plan. The collectives of the carpet enterprise, the canning factory in Kavajë, the export depot in Durrës, and many other collectives are working in the same way. SOTIRAQ GJORDENI division, in exports and imports, in the fields of labor and wages, and in well-being and comprehensive emancipation. new responsibilities and duties for state and economic bodies at every level and tier. As was said at the Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the State Planning Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank, the ministries and other central institutions will issue the relevant bylaws related to improving the economic mechanism. Transitioning to the operation of this mechanism entails significant changes in the working methods of these bodies and of the executive committees of the district People’s Councils. These changes have been specified in the laws adopted and require their departments and bodies to meet the demand set out for them by the 10th Plenum: to deal seriously and competently with the development of policies, the strategy for technical and technological progress, and valuable studies and syntheses. This calls for a new understanding of duties and responsibilities, abandoning outdated practices and forms of work that do not suit the new management mechanism. A new understanding is also required of the role and functions of the State Bank under self-accounting management, as set out in the law on credit approved by the Assembly. Recognizing the great importance of the measures they had unanimously adopted, the deputies expressed their readiness to implement them with great enthusiasm and tireless work, together with the masses and in steel-like unity. They expressed their full conviction that this is the path to progress and socio-economic advancement, prosperity and the strengthening of the homeland. The responsibility accompanying the transition [text fragment] will reach the limit of 6,300 cubic meters. SEJDIN CEKANI we are giving only yesterday’s target. Filling with gravel and asphalt is also part of meeting transport requirements in the housing-construction sector, with assistance... FRANO CAKA

— SIKODËR — Everywhere, during these days of May, work is proceeding at a fast pace. After concreting the slab at the 3.70 level of the grain silos at the flour mill in recent days, the builders of the «Muhamet Gjollesha» construction enterprise—one of the district’s most important projects for this period—are continuing work at other sites. Credit for this pace goes to the construction brigade led by foreman Muhamet Bushi and technical supervisor, engineer Bernard Shkoza. There was also a clear mobilization at the mining enterprise, where the miners of the copper mines at Palaj and Karmë are leading the way. In these first days of May, they have produced 50 tons of copper above plan, and of high quality. At the other mines too, targets are being met as forecast for the extraction of magnesites, kaolins, white clays, quartz, etc. RIFAT DAJTI

In these days of May, the builders of Banjë have stepped up their pace of work. Agim Dumani, foreman of the now well-known ironworking brigade, says: “We are now working toward the June target.” The same can be said of the heavy-transport equipment brigade, the production site, and so on. Meanwhile, the target of completing the dam embankment to its final level and dimensions by June was achieved these days. The brigades of Shaban Shehu and Xheme Peca, by maintaining a high pace of work every day, made it possible to ensure that the dam works would be completed in time for agriculture, even before June if necessary. When we ask what the builders’ nearest target is, we receive this answer from the planning department: “We are giving only yesterday’s target.” The gravel-and-clay covering reached a volume of 6,300 cubic meters. SEJDIN CEKANI

— DIBËR — On a journey, we recently learned this fact from a driver at the Dibër depot: the chrome-enrichment plant in Bulqizë is far behind in its production of concentrate. This is mainly due to a shortage of ore supplies. The plant collective has it in its hands to speed up the elimination of the deficit, but so do the mines, and so does the depot. And the depot has made a commitment these days: from Bulqiza, Tërnova, and Batra, it will bring the plant ore above plan every day. This commitment to the plant is not the only one made by this collective. Export transport, which is one of the priority fronts, is set to rise this month from a plan of 6,300 tons of ore to 7,000 tons. The transit points for timber will gradually be strengthened. One target beyond the plan is also to meet transport needs in the housing-construction sector through voluntary assistance. In the construction of the city ring road alone, a volume of 500 tons of work will be carried out. We could go on listing other commitments, in the sectors where drivers such as Ajet Hoxha, Pëllumb Elezi, Qemal Sadiku, Halit Rina, Ismail Ferruku, and others work. But what do the facts, what does the work done so far, tell us? This is also the best “indicator” by which the depot collective is working now in May. The four-month work volume was completed as early as April 20, and a few days later the volume in ton-kilometers was completed too. Now, in these two indicators and in others, the drivers are working toward the third week of May. “During this period all contracts have been fulfilled, with the exception of the Batra mine, which has no ore produced for transport,” Xhevat Osmani from the planning department adds to this information. FRANO ÇAKA

Minorities have become a worldwide topic of the day. If you are to write even a little about a district such as Gjirokastra, you cannot avoid dwelling on this subject. But it is easy. The fate of one person, the life of one family, can unfold an entire great era of life, a newspaper topic. This shows that the resolution of national questions here is natural, vital, not forced. And this is one of the great achievements socialism has created among us. It has also been helped by that priceless treasure, that national political philosophy, of which Comrade Ramiz spoke at the 10th Plenum. History has truly compelled our two peoples to live together; nevertheless, they have earned this, and they have done so, they have lived together as they have. Their coexistence has been marked by equality and mutual respect, and there has been no national inequality or persecution. House No. 1 in Sofratikë belongs to Thanas Xhumba, chairman of the Democratic Front for Lower Dropull. I always find the invitation to visit him with me. “Sixty percent of this family,” the head of the household says, “not counting the cousins, have been abroad as emigrants: my grandfather, father, uncle, and aunt. My father returned from abroad, got married, stayed six months, then left and never came back.” Yet in our society, under socialism, the family quickly and easily overcame this grievous tragedy without being wounded by it. “I lost them over there,” says his mother Julia, “but here my son became an agronomist and a teacher, a school principal, and my brother became a writer” (her brother is Spiro Xhai). “Closed roads took my husband from me,” says Julia, and she gives her opinion of the policy of friendship our country pursues with the whole world. More than young people, she knows what a closed road and an open one mean. In appearance, in his portrait and character, Ashua truly looks like a peasant from Dropull. Naturally added to this are the intellectual qualities of the times and a sense of dignity, genuine values of socialist society. We continue our conversation on this subject. He was born in 1939; in 1947 he saw Gjirokastra for the first time, and later Tirana. At the time he did not even know the Albanian language well, but nowhere and never did he feel any distinction, contempt, or discrimination. And so he grew up with full dignity. His wife is a teacher, one daughter is a bookseller, his son… (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday morning, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic of Albania, Comrade Adil Carçani, received at the Prime Minister’s Office the UN Under-Secretary-General, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), William H. Drejper, and those accompanying him. accompanying him. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Muahmet Kapllani and the Permanent Representative of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania to the UN, Bashkim Pitar ka, were present at the reception. During the meeting, Comrade Adil Carçani expressed his satisfaction that the projects implemented so far with the support of UNDP had had the desired effectiveness in improving technology, in the fields of informatics and telecommunications, in improving new contemporary methods in various branches of the economy, etc. W. H. Drejper praised the achievements in Albania and expressed the readiness and commitment of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to further expand cooperation with our country in the fields of the economy, science, culture, etc., and to promote exchanges among specialists, scientists and various institutions. At the meeting, the role of the UN in easing discrimination and [improving] international relations, as well as cooperation within its framework with bodies such as UNDP and other specialized organizations, was recognized. Responding to the interest of W.H. Drejper and those accompanying him in the measures taken in our country following the decision of the 10th Plenum of the Central Com- (Continued on page 4)

Yesterday, on the occasion of May 9, the 45th anniversary of Victory Day over fascism, the National Committee of Veterans of the Albanian People’s War, in cooperation with the Party Committee and the Veterans’ Committee of the Durrës district, organized commemorative activities. In the hall of the District Party Committee, a jubilee meeting was held, attended by veterans, former male and female partisans of the war who had been united and interned in prisons and Nazi-fascist camps, members and relatives of martyrs’ families, young men and women, and social activists from various districts of the country. Comrades Muho Asllani, Kico Mustagj, Shefqet Peçi, Leka Shkurti, etc., were also present. The meeting was opened by Myqerem Fuga, Secretary-General of In the report, “Victory over fasc- (Continued on page 3)

At work in the furniture workshop of the wood-processing enterprise in Fushë-Arrëz. (Photo: A. Bodinaku = ATSH)