o Yesterday the meeting of the foreign ministers of the G8 countries with the foreign ministers of nine Central and Eastern European countries continued, with the aim of examining the situation in the Middle East; it is taking place in Madrid. o The press conference of the director of the Pentagon information center, Pit Uilliams, which was due to be held the day before yesterday in Washington, was canceled. o The court in Turkey decided that the execution by hanging of Husejn Xhemali, charged for his activities against the state, should be suspended. o More than 1,500 people without work are out in the cold, (according to ATSH)

On 28-2-1991, the leadership of the Islamic Religious Community, chaired by its chairman, comrade Hafiz Sabri Koca, met in one of the halls of the People’s Assembly. In his capacity as chairman of the Presidential Council, comrade Ramiz Alia took part in this meeting. The leadership of the Islamic Religious Community expressed deep concern over the situation created among believers of all religious faiths in the country, due to the situation in Shkodër and Kavajë, where state institutions and some objects of special importance were taken under protection and stoned by unidentified elements. It described this as an unacceptable and harmful act for the progress of the democratic processes and incompatible with the feelings and convictions of true believers. Calling on the broad masses of believers to maintain a firm stance in the service of peace, order, and discipline, the leadership of the Islamic Religious Community appealed to them to avoid any kind of provocation, to respect the laws of the state, and to remain vigilant against anyone who seeks to obstruct the democratic processes or incite violent acts. During the meeting, determination was expressed to influence, by all lawful means and forms, the calming of the situation and the growth of understanding among people. This is what has been done in Shkodër and Kavajë, where representatives of the Islamic Religious Community have gone and are helping to normalize the situation. The Presidential Council highly values the realistic and patriotic stance of the Islamic Religious Community and of all the other religious communities, which are helping preserve peace, strengthen understanding, and support the democratic processes in the country.

— By the Minister of Mining and Energy Industry, DRINI HINDI XHOHANI. It had been, up to the eve of the National Party Conference, a major concern how the coming difficulties would be faced in new ways. In the energy, oil, coal, copper, and chromium sectors, production must be maintained at the required levels. The solution lies in better organization, discipline at work, supply of spare parts, and moral and material encouragement of workers. Without these, no progress can be made. We have internal reserves and possibilities to increase output in a range of technological processes. Concrete measures, high responsibility, and stronger control are required. Every work collective must find its own path to protect production and increase economic efficiency.

Yesterday in the presidium of the People’s Assembly, comrade Ramiz Alia received the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Malta to our country, Mr. Josef Xuereb, who presented his credentials. After welcoming the ambassador to his new post, comrade Ramiz Alia expressed confidence that the friendly relations between the two countries will further expand and strengthen. The Maltese ambassador, for his part, expressed satisfaction at being appointed to our country and assessed the possibilities for developing bilateral relations in various fields. Also taking part in the reception were the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other officials.

. Two days ago, a statement by the Albanian government was sent to ATSH, in which it is announced that the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania has proposed to the European Community the conclusion of an agreement on trade and cooperation. (ATSH)

. Writes to us [?]. In the protocol on trade relations for 1991, signed in Tirana on 10.1.1991, the best directions for increasing the exchange of goods with Greece are defined. This mainly concerns consumer goods, raw materials, spare parts, and cooperation in various fields of industry and agriculture. The respective delegations have positively assessed the progress of contacts and have expressed readiness to make the joint projects concrete. (ATSH)

. By the Minister of Transport, SALVADOR FRANA. — Where are we? The main objective is to strengthen social calm. Convinced that the people will know how to choose their own future wisely. With optimism it will move forward. In these populations with migration and national interests, there is a need for regular and rational transport. We are making efforts to improve movement, make better use of existing means, and establish discipline in services. The country’s economic progress requires energetic solutions for the transport of goods and passengers. We continue to work on normalizing lines and supply. (Continued on page 2) On the Ferrmitu line.

(photo: N. Xhunga) 100 percent. In such conditions, if the needs of the population were not met, this winter is being experienced with difficulty. Not meeting such minimal needs, in other words, means not truly assessing the situation. On the other hand, a feature of this time is that more than ever there is a need to tell people the truth and not hide either the difficulties or their causes. To tell the people plainly that there is little electricity, little heating, little bread, little meat, little milk, and that there is no quick solution means to respect them. TV has begun to do something in this direction and the government should further improve this work. There is a need for fuller and faster information. Not being guided by real responsibility, people may give the causes wrong interpretations. Can it be enough to say that the blame lies with the heavy snow? Or that transport was insufficient? Everyone knows the problems are deeper. There are also organizational shortcomings, delays in taking measures, irresponsibility, and incompetence at some levels. This must be said openly. Only in this way can people’s trust be won and energies mobilized to overcome the situation. The solution does not wait for tomorrow. It requires work today, responsibility today, and decisions today.

It is necessary to strengthen... We must continue determined efforts toward a high level of maturity in our relations with one another, in resolving disagreements through democratic and peaceful means. All demagoguery, language of hatred and revenge, and the spirit of factionalism or particularism must be eliminated. Work on clarifying the situation must be intensified; political thinking must be further refined and enriched in order to guide the masses correctly and create an environment in which everyone feels calm about their life, work, and future, and that of their family. In state-citizen relations, respect for human rights must be further perfected, and strong influence must be exerted to avoid arbitrary or domineering attitudes toward them. A leader must always be an example to his subordinates, and his words and deeds must be united. Along with establishing the proper relationship between freedom and authority in every cell of society, the democratic order also requires respect for legality and discipline, condemning every manifestation of anarchy and violence. For party organizations and their workers, it is necessary to increasingly strengthen a sense of tolerance, wisdom, and readiness to sacrifice in the name of the higher interests of the homeland and socialism. Failure in work with people, with the masses, and subjective or hasty actions are unacceptable. The responsibility of the communist comrade, of the cadre, of the activist in relations with people, in their conduct and in daily activity, must further increase. Everyone must help and work so that the party’s policy and the laws of the state are carried out consciously and with discipline by every person. Peace and order must be preserved. (According to the closing words of a text published in the SHKURT section)