Albania belongs to the future. The Albanian people, who have survived through the centuries day after day, have a bright future ahead. Its path, like a powerful searchlight, is illuminated today by democracy, which the Party of Labour of Albania nurtured step by step. It was not born of decrees, but of the people’s conviction and blood; as such, it has been, is, and will remain in the freedom-loving and progressive spirit of every Albanian and patriot whose heart is as large as Albania, as all Albanian lands. Never as small as one’s wallet and armchair. Never as small as a shadow when the sun rises. Never as small as balloons of promises and crowns of glory and personal egoism. From [?] for 50 years in a row, the people have brought forth their leaders, their tribunes and reformers, to whom they entrusted their most precious possession: the sweat of their brow. And there it is: you see Albania remade as Albania, brothers and sisters, with the beautiful eyes of your clear conscience, free of rancour and partisan blinkers, with the eyes of truth that radiate purity and sincerity. You, O people, have learned the great saying from your own kind: the sun cannot be covered with a sieve. We do not have the dogs [?] because they were never promised, nor do we hold a golden spoon in our hands, but we have something more precious in our hands: the freedom and independence of our motherland, its honoured name and well-deserved prestige in the world, the unbreakable will to do everything that our minds, hearts and ardent spirit desire for it; we hold in our hands our lives, built with everyone’s sweat, and our many-sided ties with Europe. The Party of Labour has entrusted this mission to its members, whom it has presented to the people as candidates for parliament. A vote for them is a historic test for every voter. Albania’s future is democracy. Let it triumph, and it will triumph, but in its name let everyone say “stop” to any political force that, through newspapers, radio, TV, platforms, etc., without “pleading” for the people and with its own short-sighted ideas, puts Albania and its name, the history and future of the people, up for auction; let everyone say “stop” to anyone who understands democracy to mean thinking however one pleases and also doing whatever one pleases. Let us put pluralism at Albania’s service, for its rapid and contemporary development, but never for its destruction. Pluralism must serve Albania, not Albania pluralism. Political parties must serve the people, not the people become playthings of political parties. Anyone trying to “open” such paths must know that they lead nowhere, that they are doomed from the outset, not something to “try just once.” Experiments cannot be conducted with national interests and the people’s ideals. This is the ABC of democracy and its ultimate purpose. History is not made twice. With this conviction, let us go to the polling stations today and cast our votes for the Party of Labour candidates, among other things as an act of gratitude to its guiding light and leader, who has helped it win them; they also require foresight to look much farther ahead than momentary passions or petty “resentments,” and courage to rise above narrow interests—which may be justified—of oneself or one’s family, and place above them the great, democratic, national interests. Throughout its ancient history, our people have awaited and experienced historic events with clear minds, calm and culture, dignity and optimism. Above all, however, they have faced them with a sense of historic responsibility. To feel historic responsibility today for the fate of democracy in Albania means voting for the Party of Labour candidates for parliament. This means that you have felt historic responsibility for Albania. You have felt historic responsibility to defend to the very end, without any hesitation, the just and legitimate demands of our Kosovar brothers and of other Albanians living in Yugoslavia, the legitimate rights of the Çam population, and the broad needs of the Albanian diaspora for all-round ties with the mother country. Finally, it means that you have felt responsible for integrating Albania into Europe in a manner befitting and honouring it. The voters, now judges, have already put it on the scales of their minds and consciences. The electoral programme of the Party of Labour has won the hearts of all who see democracy not in every sort of promise, but in the work, culture, dignity and seriousness of each individual and of society as a whole. The members of the PPSH and the veterans, the young men and women, workers and peasants, intellectuals and soldiers—the whole people—is ONE before the homeland and its future. through ... For the Labor Party ... American... e, ... e brought ... important ... ... national resources and the ideals of the people cannot be made the subject of experiments. History does not happen twice. With this conviction, let us go today to the polling stations and, with our votes, vote for the candidates of the Party of Labour, among other things, as an act of gratitude for the fact that it designed and opened up irrevocable paths to democracy. This 31 March is the day of a historic event. The people’s wish today is for democracy to win and for a pluralist assembly to be created. But for democracy to win does not mean that the political force that shouts loudest about it should win; it means that the political party with the greatest ability, experience and proven strength to bring it to life in every cell of the country’s and people’s life should win.

— ELBASAN — The long-awaited election day has finally arrived. This year’s electorate, under great emotional and psychological strain, made us experience all the uncertainties of an untravelled road. Nevertheless, everything was faced with dignity and composure. “Who will you vote for?”... This question was put to everyone’s conscience for a long time. At last, each person appealed to their conscience and made a decision... The metallurgist Hysni Lleshi says that he will give his vote, without the slightest hesitation, to the PPSH candidate. “And I have plenty of reasons,” he continues. “The most important is my conviction that the PPSH is the only serious political force, and also the only one capable of leading us towards Europe. I want to mention on this occasion just our metallurgical complex. Some voices have said that this complex was built for nothing, and even that it should be shut down altogether. Incredible! If the products of our complex were missing for even one day, the entire economy would be thrown into alarm. Can this fact be ignored? And what about the more than 10,000 workers and hundreds of highly qualified specialists who work and sweat there? There is one thing I agree with too: the profitability of this complex should be increased. But we, its employees, especially the specialists, can bring that about. And I am confident it will be achieved soon. Some cooperation projects... the life and security of our children, the gold of our future; and a more secure and prosperous future in our own lands, firmly connected with the European community. This is the voice of the Party of Labour of Albania today, on the day of the first free and pluralist elections, and of its members, who consider it an honour and a source of pride to work for the great mission it has taken upon itself: to make Albania a country where every Albanian can enjoy the fruits of contemporary development.

— KORÇË — In fact, I began writing this article on the evening of 29 March. I began at the very moment when the other members of my family and I were eagerly waiting for the televised recording of Comrade Ramiz Alia’s meeting with the voters of constituency 218 in Tirana. News report after news report (how crammed Albania’s news reports were, and there it is, the invention [?]...) Different things... seen through the eyes of an Albanian and ... the Party of Labour, the Party of Labour ... remember that we did not join it for three months, nor merely for an election campaign, but for a lifetime. Yes, Comrade Ramiz! We are not afraid of history; we stand face to face with it. To admit otherwise would be to deny myself, the fact that my father was a farmhand, a cowherd for the landlords; Liberation found him without an education, while today I have a whole university education and the courage to take “Albania towards Europe” with my comrades. And I do not say this to boast, because I am not alone: there are hundreds of thousands of us. Yes! For Albania’s good, for the people and for their interests alone, everything. Everything: the expropriation of the estate owners, agrarian reform, and electrification. (Continued on page 2) We remain within history; we stand face to face with it. If I were to affirm the other thing, I would deny myself—the fact that my father was a servant, a cowherd for the landlords, and that Liberation found him without schooling, while today I have an entire university behind me and the courage to set out with my comrades to lead “Albania toward Europe.” And I do not say this to boast, because it is not just me: there are thousands upon thousands of us. Yes! For Albania’s well-being, for the people and only for their interests, everything. Everything, including the expropriation of the landowners, agrarian reform, and electrification. For Albania’s well-being, these democratizing reforms in the economy, in politics, and within the Labor Party itself as well. For I feel throughout the whole being of the Party and of myself the impulse of the blood, the impulse of thought pressing forward, forward without stopping; that is why I applaud the Leader, that is why I think that in this way I honor everything national. That is all I said to myself last night, that is all I wrote on 29 March. Today, on the morning of 30 March, my monologue joined that of my fellow citizens. (Continued on page 2)

— TROPOJË — Throughout March, the people’s determination and optimism in this district were also evident in their daily work. Musli Dardha, head of the industry section at the district Executive Committee of the KP, says that there was mobilisation throughout the district’s industrial enterprises. He singles out the collection and processing enterprise and the repair-services enterprise for fulfilling the first-quarter plan. March has registered an increase. In conversation with the director of the enterprise...

— PËRMET — To get to one of the villages of the agricultural region, you have to make your way through mud. We were in Bualban, Përmet, these days. What impressions did we gather? — I have shared the writing with him, but he has told me about himself. For bread you had to take 100 lekë... [partly illegible] ... Halim Selfo says: — We are a remote, small mountain cooperative, and we sell bread to the state; we deliver 1,500 quintals of grain. When I have bread here, why should it come to me vomiting from Canada, he says. But where am I supposed to find Canada? I go with my own wallet. Muharrem Jaupi is from Psar-i. He says: — Privatization, taking the land as it was, happens where there is land, bread. The old bread, the others? Diana, do... [illegible] I have known Fadij Valina for years. He was once chairman of the cooperative in the extensive economy of Ba-... (Continued on page 2)

— How the workers of Librazhd came to the ballot box — The targets for the quarter were exceeded in total industrial production, and more noticeably in the export of goods. The iron-nickel mine alone gave exports 3 million and 500 thousand lekë more in products. The chromium mine also exceeded its production and chromium-export targets. In order to respond better to the people’s needs, the collective of the food enterprise also met its targets well, exceeding all categories; it has been working for the month of April for 10 days now. The collective of the collection and processing enterprise also fulfilled all plan indicators ahead of time and provided 40 percent more products for export. At the municipal trade department, we learn that the supply of the people with essential food products and industrial goods has been given priority. The collectives of the NTSH and NFP in Prenjas stood out, and also contributed to achieving the goods-turnover plan. The collective of the mine-construction site in Prrenjas, that of the municipal housing enterprise, etc., also report having fulfilled the quarterly targets ahead of time. XHEVDET ALMETA

Yesterday morning, the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Comrade Ramiz Alia, received at the headquarters of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Klejborn Pell. After expressing his pleasure at the meeting, Comrade Ramiz Alia told him that now, with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Albania and the USA, ties and cooperation would be further expanded and developed for the benefit of both countries. “I, too, hope that our relations will be even better in the future,” Senator Pell said in turn. Assessing Albania’s first pluralist elections, he said that the following day was a historic day for the Albanian people. “And we consider it as such, as a major event in the political life of the country,” said Comrade Ramiz Alia. Also present at the conversation, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, were Presidential Council member Prof. Dr. Rexhep Mejdani and Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhamet Kapllani. (ATSH)

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania, Comrade Ramiz Alia, received the English parliamentary delegation, led by Steven Norris. Comrade Ramiz Alia held a warm and friendly conversation with the English parliamentarians. He spoke to them about the importance of the 31 March elections, the first pluralist elections in Albania, which mark one of the high points in the development of the democratic process in our country. Comrade Ramiz Alia and the English parliamentarians emphasized the importance of restoring diplomatic relations between Albania and England and expanding economic and trade cooperation, matters that have already been discussed. They also spoke about the possibilities of Albania’s further integration into European processes and cooperation between our countries and the Council of Europe and other organizations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muhamet Kapllani, was present at the reception. (ATSH)

At the invitation of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, the Italian parliamentary delegation arrived in our country yesterday. It consists of Doro-meniko Amalitano, Antonio Gra-ziani, Xhovana Skeloto and Alberto Forni, who will observe the pluralist elections of 31 March in Albania. The Secretary of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Shadër Tozaj, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had come to receive them at Rinas airport. Also present were the ambassadors of ... and ... (Continued on page 4)

... will be even better, Senator Pell said in turn. Assessing the first pluralist elections in Albania, he said that the following day was historic for the Albanian people. And we consider it as such—as a major event in the country’s political life, Comrade Ramiz Alia said. friendly atmosphere, were the member of the Presidential Council, Prof. Dr. Rexhep Mejdani, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muhamet Kapllani.

(PHOTO-POSTERS BY NIKO XHUFKAJ)

Let the voting on 31 March be the test and testimony of the people’s political maturity, a worthy response to the patriotic appeal that the voice of the homeland makes to its conscience. RAMIZ ALIA