The continuing revolutionary transformation of the entire life of the country, the further democratization of social life, the pluralism of thought and political and ideological convictions, as well as the development and expansion of the political activity of the masses and their organizations, have made the continued improvement of the party’s political and organizational activity an objective necessity. The party is a political organization, and a political organization cannot be such if it is not organized according to the requirements that determine its active existence. It has been years, but especially in the current stage of the all-round democratization of the country’s life, when the party’s tasks of successfully leading the revolutionary processes are becoming more complicated and more difficult. This requires greater political and ideological maturity, wisdom in judgment, organizational ability and decisiveness in action. These are the essential qualities that must characterize every communist, every basic party organization and every leading forum of it, both at the center and at the base. In today’s conditions the party’s role as the sole leading political force cannot be fulfilled with the same forms and methods of work as before. This is not merely about technically perfecting the style of work, but about a deeper change in the very conception of the party’s role in society. Its being at the forefront of democratic processes, its ability to anticipate developments, to listen to and process the views of the masses, and to turn them into political decision-making, is the fundamental condition for increasing its authority. The party cannot rely only on its glorious historical tradition and its great merits. These are irreplaceable values, but they must constantly be supplemented by the ability to respond to the times. The growing role of the masses means expanding their participation in discussion, in oversight and in the implementation of decisions. It is precisely this process that makes it necessary to raise the quality of the party, because the party must know how to persuade, organize, lead and answer politically before the people. The party’s quality is linked прежде all to the quality of the communist. Formal membership is not enough, nor yesterday’s political biography, if today initiative, honesty, political culture, professional ability and moral example are lacking. Quality requires conscious discipline, not mechanical obedience; it requires creative thought, not phrase-mongering; it requires personal responsibility, not hiding behind the collective. Only in this way can party organizations become better able to confront the problems of the economy, culture, education, youth, order and social relations. Democratization of party life is a fundamental condition for achieving this quality. Elections, discussions, criticism and self-criticism, the rotation of cadres, and oversight of the implementation of tasks must be freed from formalism. Where silence prevails, where there is fear of different opinions, servility or self-satisfaction, the party loses its vitality and fails to be a real leader of processes. On the contrary, where the communist speaks openly, argues, listens and works with the people, the authority of the party grows. The growing role of the masses is an irreversible process. It does not weaken the party, but places it before the responsibility to improve itself and to cleanse itself of every bureaucratic, sectarian and conservative manifestation. Achieving the quality of the party therefore means raising the quality of the country’s political life, strengthening its ties with the masses and increasing its ability to carry socialism forward in the new conditions of the time.

— Still, there is also the shortage of goods. Here in them we can find selected goods from socialist trade. A whole mass of sidewalks and alleys for the public is increasingly being ravaged by illegal trade. Casual sellers, women and men, young and old, are selling clothing, foodstuffs and other products on every corner. This phenomenon has become common in many cities and is bringing consequences not only for supply, but also for order and hygiene. In the circumstances, as observed, the quantities available for street trade are limited, but the interested crowd continues to seek quick profit. This shows that certain shortages in the normal retail network and the high demand for goods have encouraged the flourishing of this form. The problem is not solved only by administrative measures. It requires increased production, improved distribution, stricter control by the responsible bodies and civic awareness. Only in this way can unjust gains be curbed and the consumer protected. (Continued on page 2)

— BERAT — As a result, after analyses and confrontations, after reports and verifications, additional questions were raised in the Pogradec lakeside area about the responsibility of the relevant bodies. In this framework, in the fishing cooperative inconsistencies in records, deficiencies in accounting and violations of production preservation rules were found. A weak link in the new mechanism is the lack of coordination between the leading links and the production base. This causes material losses and favors abuses by irresponsible persons. The control bodies must act in time and decisively. The verifications showed that some fish intended for sale had remained without complete documentation, while part of the production did not match the quantities delivered. These data require a deeper investigation and punitive measures against the guilty. (Continued on page 2)

The work of the enterprise collective to preserve and increase production is viewed with clear satisfaction and appreciation. Although difficulties are not lacking, measures have been taken to prevent any break in the chain between supply and the production process. In the main departments work has been carried out responsibly to enforce technological discipline, save raw materials and avoid losses. The managers emphasize that any delay in supply brings chain effects and damages the overall plan. Workers and technicians have shown readiness to cope with the workload, while the party organization and the collective council have exercised better control. This has made it possible to avoid the main obstacles and maintain the pace of production.

— LUSHNJË — I have no idea that supply — for construction and production — is a decisive link for the progress of work. In the relevant enterprise there are clear difficulties in securing raw materials, auxiliary materials and spare parts on time. Shortages in supply have caused interruptions in work in some departments, underuse of capacities and a slowdown in production pace. Workers, specialists and managers are calling for faster and better coordinated solutions. The problem has also become more acute because back orders are increasing, putting greater pressure on the collective. Without an improvement in the supply network, sustainable growth in production cannot be expected.

Last night, on the third evening, the entire repertoire of dances and songs of the ensemble was presented; this troupe was making a name for itself and, with the theme “Beautiful Flowers,” was greeted with applause. Later, songs from different regions and folk motifs from the city and the countryside were performed. The program was followed with interest by the audience, which appreciated the quality of the performance and the richness of the costumes. The artists presented a varied tableau of folk creativity and kept the stage lively until the end of the show.

Within the framework of bilateral contacts, talks were held on issues of cooperation and mutual relations. The parties expressed their readiness to continue the dialogue and expand ties in areas of common interest. (ATSH)

During work at the oil paint factory in Tirana. (Photo: N. Xhuka) (Continued on page 5) During work at the oil paint factory in Tirana. (Photo: N. Xhuka)

On this occasion, during the conversation, several issues of cultural and scientific cooperation, as well as further contacts between the relevant institutions, were addressed. Prof. Sokol Llari conveyed greetings and praised the good climate of relations. Talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and releases (ATSH)

and put into circulation. In this volume his materials cover the period January—October 1979. The main part of this volume consists of articles and other materials published in the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit,” the magazine “Rruga e Partisë,” and other press organs, as well as documents of importance for political and ideological activity. The volume is equipped with a scholarly apparatus and indexes of names and subjects. (ATSH)