The all-round revolutionization of the country’s life and its further democratization make it necessary to further improve the qualitative leadership role of the Party. Today people are actively discussing a wide range of issues: foreign relations, the new economic mechanism, the distribution of livestock for personal use, and so on. These views are expressed at meetings of mass organizations, as well as in conversations in social and family settings. The enthusiasm with which the decisions of the Party, the Assembly and the Government have been received does not mean that they have been unaccompanied by discussion and debate, or by questions and uncertainties connected with rapid developments and the prospects for the country’s progress. The more qualified the Party’s work is at this moment, the better it will answer these questions and the more conscious the working masses will become in advancing the country’s economy, culture, and entire political and social life. The Party has never used a method of leadership based on orders and mechanical elaboration of directives; but especially now, when the level of the masses, their affirmation, and their participation in discussions have grown as never before, the method of persuasion takes on particular importance. It is clear that persuasion cannot be achieved through dry instructions, moralizing, quotations, and so on. That is precisely why communists and primary organizations must themselves make an effort, study and work out the best way for plenums to engage with the masses not only as equals in discussion, but also to lead naturally through their abilities and knowledge. At a Party activists’ meeting in the district of Gjirokastra in recent days, there was considerable debate. In fact, the questions raised were mainly those that people had asked the district cadres in the Party and mass organizations down below. The need to ask questions is not limited to a worker with a “low” level; everyone needs to do so, including the instructor and the secretary of the organization and Party committee. This need and this interest must be confirmed as genuine, and then reflected in conclusions that can serve the relevant forum and body in making decisions. ...ly. The Party has continually instructed its communists and cadres to maintain close contact with the masses, to explain things with sound arguments, and to convince them. But especially today, given people’s interest, it is difficult to go to the masses with “two pennies in your pocket.” If you go unprepared, you not only fail to help but do the opposite, damaging your own authority and that of the body you represent. Everywhere, many questions are being asked about the implementation of the new economic mechanism, the way certain services in the city are organized, religious propaganda, etc. You cannot answer them with ready-made phrases. They must be understood in their essence so that you can then explain them to the masses. Indeed, you must not only master the issue, but also know how to make it understandable and acceptable to everyone. These days, many discussions and explanations are taking place on these issues, but it must be said that people do not always... ...a sense of expectation; in those agricultural enterprises where participation in work is declining even though it is the height of the campaign season; in those institutions where endless gossip is spun and duties are not fulfilled—in all such places, the Party’s leadership work is also at a low level and lagging behind the situation. It is a fact that the decisions of the recent plenums have created everywhere a healthy atmosphere of work and civic commitment. They have further enlivened the political and social thinking of the masses and increased their creative role. The unanimous approval of these decisions stems from the fact that they not only respond to today’s demands, but also pave the way for a clear prospect of progress for society and for every individual. For this reason, efforts must be increased everywhere by Party organizations and every communist, by mass organizations and every one of their activists.

— At street intersections and wherever people gather, social food-trade outlets are opening. — Fruitful cooperation with cooperative members in selling meat from cooperative courtyards under sanitary and hygiene inspection. — The practice of setting up large, centralized outlets that waste people’s time is being abandoned. It is a good thing to see these days, on the main streets of the city of Shkodër, itinerant trading points selling ready-to-eat food: kebabs, meatballs, cheese, simite and hot byrek. People leaving home can get what they want without wasting time and go to work pleased with this way of organizing trade. The whole “secret” is for these points or itinerant vendors to serve people right there along the route and at street intersections, with food prepared on the spot, ma-morë, and kebabs grilled right there in the street. When it comes to such services, people want speed, quality and cleanliness. So, to be effective, we must also return to the good tradition of social food trade at street corners and intersections. Perhaps the new organization of NTUS’s itinerant outlets in the city of Shkodër is moving in this direction. The work that has begun must be expanded. A new meat shop opened these days, where you tell the seller that you want this or that cut, according to the different prices. This seller, together with a representative of the enterprise, buys livestock from various farmers; the animals are slaughtered in slaughterhouses and inspected by specialists, after which permission to sell is granted. This work, which some private individuals have been doing on the street without proper sanitary and hygiene standards, etc., is now being done by the meat-and-milk collection and processing enterprise. Here is another solution devised in the interests of better supplying the people. The refreshment stands have also increased, alongside the sale of arançata at special outlets and by itinerant vendors; interest in selling them has also grown thanks to the larger commission offered, depending on the quantity sold. Meanwhile, itinerant vendors selling various syrups are also appearing, but strict hygiene and sanitary measures must be enforced for them. What more can be done? We hear this in various social conversations, as well as in discussions at forums. The truth is that concern about better supplying the people, relying on the new economic mechanism, is opening the way to useful ideas and action. The «Kafja e Madhe» has been restored—a fine thing, but the good thing about it is that this well-known establishment in Shkodër was set up as an enterprise with its own accounts. And the results are evident. The new economic mechanism is not an instrument that puts things right by itself. As a new form of work organization, it also requires new ways of thinking in its implementation. At the trade section we learn that better work is being done on prices, not only for vegetables and fruit, but also for industrial goods, which do not

A number of enterprises are joining the new mechanism - BERAT - On July 1, four enterprises in the district of Berat will move to management with independent accounts: specifically, the oil mechanical plant in Qyteti Stalin, the construction-materials enterprise, the electricity and water-supply enterprise, and NTAN-i in Berat. Naturally, July does not mark a break for these enterprises, but rather the continuation of work begun in January, now with a new mindset and a new method. To get to this point, the enterprises themselves, after studying their capacities and reserves and carrying out analyses and comparisons, took concrete steps, such as transferring some employees from the directorates’ offices to the frontline, to the workshops where material goods are produced. At the electricity and water-supply enterprise they say that the electrical department will be responsible for everything itself, unlike before, when it passed its problems on to the enterprise directorate. It will buy electricity itself, sell it itself, and itself be responsible for its proper management. (Continued on page 2)

- LUSHNJE - Anest Sema, head of the supply and distribution department at the miscellaneous-products enterprise, lays before us a file of telegrams received from enterprises saying that contracts have not been fulfilled. “For the six-month period,” he says, “80 percent of the contracts have been fulfilled. We have not received the planned raw materials, and this has caused us concern, as for a time we were unable to meet buyers’ needs in terms of the quantity and range of products.” The light-industry supply enterprise in Durrës has not met its contract to supply white sheet metal to the miscellaneous-products enterprise. During the first quarter, not a single kilogram of sheet metal arrived at the enterprise, while in the second quarter it received only 17 percent of the required quantities, and for the six-month period, 28 percent. Can duties be carried out when people play word games over contracts: “We don’t have it in stock now; we’ll send it to you later”? Difficulties may arise, but that does not mean these duties should be abandoned, since they concern putting millions of lekë into circulation. “We cannot meet the contract,” they reply at the «Stalin» textile combine and at the one in Berat. The matter concerns the production of cloth. Of the 10,000 m required for the six-month period, NPN-ja has received 2,000 m. Who is responsible for the shortfall? For the combine, failure to fulfill the contracts may not pose any problem, whereas it causes losses for NPN-ja in Lushnje. It has the raw material, and without it it cannot meet the production schedules, let alone make a profit.

The forestry enterprise in the district of Gramsh has for years set a good example in meeting its export obligations. As its director, Hysen Bega, tells us, production of such plants as hawthorn flowers, acacia flowers, sereti leaves, etc., reached 110 percent. Resin production, meanwhile, reached 124 percent. Bearing in mind the requirements of the new economic mechanism, which this workforce is carefully working to understand starting now, during this six-month period it fulfilled not only its production target but also its delivery target, since the enterprise’s income depends on the latter. The fact that it exceeded this target by 2.5 times shows that the forestry enterprise is entering management with independent accounts with good experience. Do all economic enterprises view the delivery of production in the same way? The director of the collection and processing enterprise, Natashe Jaho, tells us that a further 426 thousand lekë worth of products must be dispatched for export in order to meet the target. These products are in stock in the enterprise’s warehouses, but a lack of transport vehicles is preventing them from being taken to the right place. Wood processing, too, has so far delivered only 17 thousand lekë worth of medicinal plants, against a plan of 50 thousand lekë. The shortfalls created in these cases directly burden the enterprise’s income targets; therefore, transport capacity must be treated as a priority before they move to management with independent accounts, because what they produce and what they deliver must go hand in hand.

For three consecutive nights, the urban folk-song festival was held in the capital, organized by the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, with Merited Artist Limoz Dizdari as artistic director. During the first two nights, singers from various districts of the country, along with soloists and the ensemble of the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, performed 22 songs selected from works by our professional and amateur composers from Tirana, Korça, Berati, Vlora, and elsewhere. The songs were dedicated to our new life, the joy of our people, and the friendship and love that bind them, etc. The songs were accompanied by the orchestra of the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble under the direction of Merited Artist Agim Krajka, as well as by dancers from the ensemble. Last night, on the third evening, workers from workplaces and production centers, people from the arts and culture, poets, folk singers, composers, and young amateur performers attended the best songs of the festival, performed in the hall of the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Yesterday in Sofia, the president of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, Peter Mladenov, received Prof. Sofokli Lazri, envoy of Ramiz Alia, chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania. He conveyed President Mladenov’s words and the message from President Ramiz Alia. During this meeting, which took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, views were exchanged on the further development of Albanian-Bulgarian relations and on multilateral Balkan cooperation. On this occasion, Prof. Sofokli Lazri conveyed to President Mladenov the thanks of the chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Ramiz Alia, for the invitation to visit Bulgaria, which he will make at a suitable time. Also attending the meeting were Bulgaria’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stefan Stajkov, and Albania’s ambassador in Sofia, Bashkim Rama. (ATSH)

Yesterday morning, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhamet Kallami received and held talks with the UN Deputy Executive Secretary, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, Gërald Hinteregger. At the meeting, views were exchanged on the cooperation to date between our country and this United Nations body, as well as on the possibilities and ways of expanding this cooperation in the future, especially with its committees, such as those on trade, energy, transport, the environment, statistics, etc. Views were also exchanged on the economic situation in Europe, its development and prospects, as well as on the role of the Commission itself. Also present was the chargé d’affaires ad. of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania to the United Nations Office in Geneva. (Continued on page 4)

and released into circulation. This volume, whose materials date from the period March–April 1979, includes discussions, conversations and notes, most of which are being published for the first time. The written sections from this period contain ideas and lessons of current value on such important issues as strengthening the mass line and socialist democracy, revolutionizing the Party’s work so that it responds to the demands of the times, perfecting democratic procedures for elections within the Party, carrying out and deepening economic plans, and defending the freedom and independence of the homeland, etc. The volume is provided with an index. (ATSH)

A moment at work in the oil-paint factory in Tirana. (Photo: N. Xhufka)