The beginning of 1991 was welcomed with confidence that it would get off to a good start and bring about qualitative economic changes for the better in the economy. However, the hopes we had were not fulfilled. Instead of improving, the situation worsened. Plans were achieved only at 70–80 percent. The objectives we had relied on were the work of our people, the increase in their mobilization, and cooperation with the outside world through loans that several foreign banks were to grant us. But it turned out that even mobilization, which should have yielded benefits, in addition to the decline and stagnation that began with the administration, also saw work stoppages in the form of organized strikes; foreign firms and banks also postponed the delivery deadlines for goods and loans under various pretexts, or discontinued them altogether, when they observed certain destabilizing actions and a climate of uncertainty for their investments. Great efforts are needed to overcome the difficulties we face. Let us not entertain illusions that this or that model, this or that template, will get us out of this situation. Now that we are in the election campaign, the various political parties find it easy both to criticize, shifting responsibility onto others, and to make promises, especially by pinning their hopes on the pockets of the world. The Party of Labour has not evaded its responsibilities, nor has it made or is it making empty promises. It does its calculations with its feet on the ground, on Albanian soil. What is the economic situation today, and what will it be tomorrow? Today’s economic difficulties have causes both internal and external. They are objective, but also subjective. They are connected with poor management of the economy in many sectors, as well as with natural disasters. They have to do with the past, but also with the present. Of course, analyzing these factors is important, because it helps prevent weaknesses and mistakes from recurring and draws the necessary lessons. But what is fundamental today is to find ways to get out of this situation as quickly and securely as possible. The first step and indispensable condition for this is to stabilize the situation and improve the current state of the economy: people in the process of development, in town and countryside, must get down to work and make the most of even the limited material resources currently available to us. This requires not weeks and months, but days and hours. In a number of sectors there is no objective obstacle to people working regularly and productively. In agriculture, in most mines, in handicrafts and services, there is work for everyone. Workers and work collectives must discover one another by fulfilling their mutual obligations, thus opening up broader opportunities for production and work. It is therefore urgent that every worker take their place, ready to carry out their duties. This appeal is addressed to all workers, in the countryside and in the cities. Unless we understand that people’s work is the foundation of well-being, no measure, no economic program of any kind, has any value. Achievements stem only from work. Turning away from it buries them. Europe does not need consumers, but business activity founded on production and services. The work ethic must take the place of the sense of entitlement that is spreading widely. We will live and advance through our own sweat, not through dreams and utopias. The second step that must be taken resolutely to put the current economic situation on a sound footing is to normalize the conditions for fully utilizing existing productive assets. This means ensuring that the economy has raw materials and energy resources as needed; that the people have food and industrial goods; and that payments are made regularly in cash. We must find the resources for these ourselves, although the Government is seeking and has secured some short-term loans from abroad. The situation changes considerably when it comes to investment. Until now, in order to ensure the continuation of material and social development, we have allocated nearly a quarter of national income to investment and other forms of spending. Now, however, we must continue and adapt our investment program primarily through foreign capital, in the form of economic and financial cooperation. A series of agreements have been signed for this purpose. This will allow us to redirect significant domestic resources away from production and consumption, so that we can meet the people’s purchasing power with the goods they need. This would be the first step toward a new, optimistic prospect for our economy. We must regard the interest of foreigners in investing in our country—as a small Albania without debts or other obligations, with realistic development programs, great wealth and other natural advantages, national independence, and civilized democracy—as a major advantage. It is in our hands whether or not we make effective use of this current opportunity. We must strengthen the confidence of our foreign partners in our country, and we can do so by showing ourselves to be a country with comprehensive economic and social stability, as well as business competence and seriousness. The electoral program of the PPSH for the economy, an ambitious program has it made for this is to stabilize the situation in order to improve the current state of the economy: to strengthen the confidence of foreign partners in our country. This is achieved ambitious program supported by material factors to bring the country out of stagnation and crisis, has the experience and basis to rely on the resources Albania’s nature possesses and on the energy of its people. It recognizes citizens’ legitimate rights, accepts and encourages a variety of initiatives, and gives them favorable conditions. An optimistic prospect increases the mobilization of our forces, and a strong commitment to work at the present moment increases the possibilities of reaching a normal situation in work, production, and living.

The rapid, dramatic, mostly unexpected and unsettling developments that have affected social peace and the future of democracy have recently unnerved many people. Not only Communists, leaders, officials, intellectuals, law-enforcement personnel, and others, but also certain state bodies. The troubling thing is that such a phenomenon was also observed in bodies such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Investigation Department, and the General Prosecutor’s Office, with consequences for the protection of the rule of law. In situations such as the one we are going through today, any sluggishness, underestimation, or delayed action—especially on the part of law-enforcement and judicial bodies—immediately creates serious problems. The events of these days show that the criticism of the work of these bodies made by the Presidential Council at its last meeting was entirely justified. We have observed laxity, and it must be put aside as soon as possible. In particular, those bodies with a direct duty to protect the rule of law must urgently cast it off. Could some of the events that have taken place these days have been prevented? Many people give a positive answer to this question, which is being asked so often in every setting today. All the more so since some of the events that occurred had been foretold, just as in the novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold by the writer Gabriel Garsia Markes. In some cases, those who were supposed to be best informed, so that they could prevent violations of the rule of law, were the very people who knew most about events already unfolding or about to happen. For example, there are people who know who threw the rope to pull down the statue of Enver Hoxha at the autotractor combine in Tirana. Only the law-enforcement forces and judicial bodies still do not know who organized this vandalistic act. For hours, people worked to remove books from the warehouse of the “Flora” bookshop in Tirana, on the street opposite. Nevertheless, none of the law-enforcement forces intervened to prevent this shameful cultural massacre. The clashes between the law-enforcement forces and the terrorists of the United “Enver Hoxha” Officers lasted for many hours in Tirana on February 22. Yet not one of the terrorists was apprehended in time. The events of these days show that accurate information from the relevant agencies plays a particularly important role in avoiding excesses, disruption of public order and calm, and preventing violent incidents. Any delay or lack of clarity in information immediately gives rise to the most monstrous rumors, so that even the simplest, most insignificant event can be politicized to an extreme and become a cause of violent incidents. Recently, we have all witnessed a radical change in the information supplied by state bodies, especially those of the justice system, to the national information media through their spokespeople. Nevertheless, there have still been sluggishness and delays in providing information. This also happens in cases involving flagrant violations of the law. Specifically: on the evening of February 19, in the 8 p.m. news, Albanian Television informed the public about a call issued to the capital’s workers by the “initiative committee of the independent trade unions.” The call demanded that the capital’s workers organize a general strike the next day, that is, February 20, in support of the students who were continuing their hunger strike. No one from the Ministry of Justice, the General Council of the BPSH, and so on, thought to say in that night’s final news bulletin that this call was illegal. Indeed, other media later published or broadcast statements by this phantom organization, which would make calls of this kind not for strikes, but for work, self-restraint, and so on! Only after several days was the public informed of the truth. We have all followed on RTV the interviews given by Blendi Gon-xhe, as the leader of the student movement at the University of Tirana, concerning the removal of the institution’s name. But none of the leaders dared to ask: what is he doing at the head of the university students when he is a student at another higher-education institution, the conservatory?! The Higher Institute of Arts? (Especially since, among other things, the question of a referendum on the university’s very name had been raised.) Was this perhaps to prove that the movement was completely independent and beyond any manipulation? An anonymous letter was published by “RD” on February 27 under the title “Why Was Artan L…nja Killed” [sic]! The event is truly tragic, but in the interests of truth, it should be noted that the motives for this murder are different from what “RD” writes. This is confirmed by the investigator on the case and the head of the Tirana district investigation department. Could the many misunderstandings and politicized reactions surrounding this event have been avoided if the investigative bodies had provided accurate information through state media such as RTV? The public was not informed in time about the rumor that people might leave the country on ferries arriving in Durrës, and what happened, happened. Meanwhile, the second rumor—that people would again leave the country by ferry from Durrës—was put to rest within a full fifteen [days?], because the public was informed promptly, accurately, and with supporting arguments. This kind of information is almost essential, because in fact many people are ready to believe even completely absurd things and take them for the absolute truth. We need only recall how many thousands of copies of a “fortune” letter were made in Tirana in recent days to understand the grave emotional state many people are in. Today, a delay in information immediately creates major problems, even political ones. The situations we are going through demand that we be more vigilant than ever, so that we may deepen democracy while avoiding every disorder and painful event. Above all, the law-enforcement and judicial bodies must be vigilant so that, with their capability and prudence, they can prevent in time every action by destructive forces aiming to undermine the rule of law and public order and calm. and public calm.

Yesterday afternoon, in one of the halls of the Tirana District Party Committee, the Party of Labour held a press conference with journalists from ATSH and RTV, as well as foreign journalists, on the PPSH’s economic and social program for the election campaign and the coming legislature. The press conference was opened by comrade Muharrem Xhafa, head of the propaganda sector in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the PPSH. Also participating in the event and answering journalists’ questions were the PPSH Central Committee secretaries, comrades Abdi Baleta and Fiqo Dede, as well as the vice-president of the Academy of Sciences, Prof. Hekuran Mara. In their responses and explanation of the program, as well as in answering the journalists’ questions, the representatives of the Party of Labour emphasized that this is the Party’s electoral program, which aims to build a just and democratic society. The representatives of the Party of Labour assessed the economic situation as having the characteristics of a complex economic crisis. It was said that this situation cannot be overcome immediately, and that the way out of the crisis is the radical economic reform undertaken by the Party of Labour to replace the system of centralized command and administration with market-economy mechanisms. The new economic mechanism is the initial step toward a market economy. We are currently in the phase of deepening economic reform. In response to questions asked at the conference, it was also said that the Party of Labour believes the transition to a market economy should be gradual, without harming the economic and social interests of the broad working masses. The Party of Labour supports a market economy in which state, cooperative, joint, private, and household property coexist with foreign capital, while recognizing the state’s regulatory role. The state does not intervene through instruments such as a directive plan, but through economic instruments such as the fiscal system, etc., as in other countries. (Continued on page 2)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania, Muhamet Kapllani, received the chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Vjazhellav Durin, on the occasion of the opening of the Soviet Embassy in Tirana. During the meeting, they discussed relations between the two countries and the possibilities for developing and giving concrete form to bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest. They also discussed issues concerning the current international situation. (ATSH)

INTERVIEW OF THE DAY THE SCHOOL FACES ACUTE PROBLEMS — With the Minister of Education, Dr. Kastrot Isami, interviewed by editor Thoma Gëllçi — Comrade Minister! This school year, numerous interruptions to lessons have been observed in all schools across the country. How does the Ministry of Education plan to address the situation? — This has been a year of major transformations throughout the country. This is all the more true of the school, where the best part of our nation is educated and serves. It is natural that, in this great democratizing process, young people should have their say. Nevertheless, in addition to its many positive aspects, this process was unfortunately accompanied by repeated interruptions to teaching. These interruptions undoubtedly hindered the normal course of lessons. There have been losses in all categories of schools. As for eight-year and secondary schools, the interruptions have been fewer, but still significant. I am convinced that, with more intensive work, stronger rules and discipline, and a clearly defined role for the teacher, the actual losses in these categories of schools will be eliminated. As for higher education, the problem is more complex. First, the losses are greater, and second, there have been many difficulties relating to living conditions and the organization of life and studies at the various universities. What was the basis for this decision? Certainly, this decision was made after extensive consultation with the faculty deans, and these specific circumstances were therefore carefully taken into account. For example, the Faculty of Medicine was exempted from this decision, with the aim of finding a differentiated solution within the departments and courses of that faculty. As for every faculty, and certain departments in other faculties, an order was issued that this study be completed by March 10. The announcement also refers to separating dormitories and cafeterias from the university. What advantages does such a solution offer? In many countries around the world, the school is largely separate from dormitories and cafeterias. By doing the same here, we will ensure that these services have greater independence in providing better conditions for living and studying. What has the Ministry of Education planned to address the problem of [epokritimizimit] and [cilësologjizimit] of the school? In a pluralist society, this is one of the most important problems. Our Ministry raised this issue some time ago, and work is underway to reach a sound solution. This year, some transitional measures have been taken for certain technical reasons, such as the preparation of textbooks and lessons, etc. Meanwhile, all districts have been given instructions on how to proceed; further instructions have been issued on preparing textbooks, and working groups have been set up for this purpose, so that this problem can receive as complete a solution as possible next year. Given the losses and interruptions to lessons this school year, it was decided that military education would not be held, and that transfers to elective courses that had been neglected in the policies would also be addressed. As for military education, work is underway to find a definitive solution to this problem, taking this situation and the experience of other countries around the world into account. How do you see the role of the teacher at this moment? We have considered, and continue to consider, teaching to be a calling. The teacher is the school’s principal figure and, through wisdom, regardless of political affiliation, must work to normalize the teaching process and fully implement all the laws under which the school operates. We have issued strict orders that lessons must never be abandoned in order to take part in demonstrations or various political activities. Likewise, a lesson must never be turned into a political club, with all manner of influence and incitement. These matters were discussed yesterday at a meeting that was also attended by the heads of the district education sectors. stabilize…

At the agricultural machinery plant in Durrës. Worker Enkelejda Beho and team leader Ramazan Skënderi assembling agricultural machinery. (Photo: N. Xhufka)