In the 249 electoral districts where the elections have been completed, PPSH won 168 seats, or 67.2 percent of the votes; PD won 75 seats, or 30 percent; Omonia 5 seats, or 2 percent; and the National Veterans’ Committee 1 seat, or 0.4 percent

Excerpts from letters from the people to the editorial office My first vote I am an 18-year-old girl from the city of Berat, a third-year student at the «Kristo Isak» high school, and on March 31 I voted for the first time. I want to tell my peers wherever they are in the Homeland why I gave my first vote, without any hesitation, to the PPSH led by Comrade Ramiz Alia. March 31 came with the natural civic responsibility incumbent on everyone. The weight of the voting was felt everywhere. It was 9 o’clock. We set off for the polling station. On the roads, in the squares, and everywhere, people were debating among themselves. In front of the polling station, I was overcome by a special emotion. Today, the future of the Homeland depends on my vote, on the vote of the entire people. I take the ballot and enter the secret booth. I have no prejudices against any of the candidates, or against the parties or independent entities, but, strangely, at that moment I feel very calm; among the candidates’ names, I leave only the one representing the Party of Labour. I leave the polling station with a light heart: I have cast my first vote in the ballot box, and I walk away calm and proud. MAJLINDA GJINUSHI «Kristo Isak» school, Berat The will of the people I am not a member of any political party or association. I am for democracy, but for true democracy. And the people conducted the elections honestly. Our people showed great restraint and democratic spirit; they showed that they want democracy without excesses, but with honesty and tolerance, while seeking progress. The people gave their vote to the PPSH. That was their will, because the Party of Labour stood by us in good times and hard times. Some voted for PD. That is their right, but I ask: could it be that my brothers were deceived by wishful thinking, by empty promises? MYFTAR KUMË Tiranë

I was prompted to write to you after reading the newspaper «Rilindja Demokratike», and I was deeply outraged by the claim that the «cultured» and «progress» voted for PD, while «ignorance» and «regression» voted for PPSH. What about the 40 percent of voters who voted for PP in those districts where PD candidates won—where do they belong, among the «cultured» or the «ignorant»? No, gentlemen of «RD», the people will not tolerate insults! I am not saying that everything that has happened over these 46 years represents ideals, but as an Albanian I do not like reading in the opposition press, especially RD, that the elections were manipulated. I was present at the commission in district 205 and saw with my own eyes how the elections were conducted. In this district, each of the 17 polling stations had two representatives of the opposition parties, who were members of the election commissions; the district commission had them too. Despite the differing convictions of the commission members, this did not prevent them from managing things competently, with civility and impartially, without a single incident, while rigorously applying the law. Now that the elections are over, it is time for the deputies and the political parties and organizations to act as quickly as possible to consolidate democracy by enshrining it in the Constitution. The profound changes that took place in Europe could not leave us behind in the upheavals. As a worker, I call on all parties to shed every kind of prejudice and lead us without quarrels or resentment, with a clear objective: to make our country prosperous. I will repeat once more the expression that is more relevant today than ever: «The interests of the people above party interests»! KASTRIOT SHEHU worker at the hydrogeological enterprise, Tiranë

In the Dëshnicë area of the Përmet district, too, the residents voted almost entirely for the PPSH candidates. They were guided by the highest interests of the Homeland. The Party of Labour is a party with long and extensive experience. It was born as the party of the common people and has remained so. We gave our votes to the Party of Labour because it itself recognized the need for change. In this case, the Party of Labour has taken the new possibilities created by the democratization of life in the country and is leading the country toward Europe with our national character. We trust the Party of Labour because Comrade Ramiz Alia is at its head, and he is guiding the country courageously and prudently toward uninterrupted democratization. We see the Party of Labour as the defender of our interests. It fights to strengthen the agricultural cooperatives and to establish a fairer balance between private property and cooperative property.

I, who am writing today, am a pensioner and live in the village. I know village life well: before the liberation of the country, after the liberation, and during the 33-year period since the agricultural cooperative was established in my village (Kremerar), because I have lived through it and continue to live it. Before the liberation, on average each family produced enough bread in the village for six months; some families could barely secure enough bread for two or three months. They bought the rest with money they managed to earn by working as hired laborers. The life of the peasant today is as different from life before liberation as night is from day: instead of living in thatched huts, people live in new houses. Today in the village of Kremenar there is no family without a radio, while more than 60 percent of the village households have a television, and a good number of them have refrigerators, sewing machines, washing machines, etc. Before the liberation, there was no primary school in the village of Kremenar. The first school opened in 1913, but it lasted only a short time—five or six months—and closed. Today, the primary school is in the center of the village, while pupils attend the eight-year and secondary schools in Symizë, at the center of the agricultural cooperative. In every family in Kremenar, someone goes on to school every three or four years. Our village has produced engineers, doctors, zootechnicians, veterinarians, teachers, and others, not to mention those with secondary-level qualifications. Today, social and cultural facilities, shops, kindergartens and nurseries, a health clinic, etc. have been built in the village center, and work is now underway on a cultural center. That is why I gave my vote to the PPSH: in it I see a guarantee of progress in the future as well. Life will surely get better. SHEFO ISLAMI Mallakastër, Fier

The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania, Comrade Ramiz Alia, received yesterday morning a group of representatives of the leadership of the Independent Trade Unions, which also included three members of the leadership of this organization for the district of Shkodër. At this meeting, representatives of the Independent Trade Unions expressed their concern about the events that had taken place in Shkodër after the March 31 elections. They conveyed to Comrade Ramiz the request that the Presidential Council and the Government analyze the situation and take action to calm it and restore normal life in this area. They called for a return to normal working and living conditions. The representatives of this organization also complained that, while maintaining their independence and acting solely in the interests of the people, the working class and the Homeland, they wished to appeal to all workers to return to work and meet their responsibilities. To this end, they stressed, a fuller explanation of everything that had happened in Shkodër in recent days should be provided as soon as possible through the press and radio and television. Comrade Ramiz Alia praised the Independent Trade Unions’ readiness to contribute to the political stabilization of the country. He expressed regret over the events after March 31, which damaged the democratic atmosphere of the elections and led to violent and harmful acts, including loss of life. Comrade Ramiz emphasized that the Presidential Council considers that the investigation into these events must be carried through to the end, so that those responsible can be identified, accountability established, people reassured, and order and work discipline restored everywhere. The experts assigned to this matter, he said, must work faster so that the people can be realistically informed of the truth. At the meeting, the comrades from the Independent Trade Unions pledged that their organization would make its full contribution to improving the situation. The member of the Presidential Council, Prof. Dr. Lufter Xhuveli, also attended the meeting. (ATSH)

After liberation, I volunteered in many youth campaigns, and when I finished school, I went as a volunteer teacher to the Tropoja district. I can speak at length about the economic and social conditions of that time, but when I returned to Bajram Curri after 40 years (1989), I found no trace of the past. The communists and all the people of Tropoja know this best. I voted for the renewed program of the PPSH and support all its democratic actions, wishing for us to move toward Europe through work and peace. SHYQYRI SHEHU veteran, Elbasan

My vote and that of my entire family was for the PPSH, for democracy. I have fought and will continue to fight for democracy, because it is the triumph of the rights of civilized humanity. I am convinced that the PPSH, with comrade Ramiz Alia at its head, has set out on the path and is moving confidently toward a true democracy. We look to Europe; we know what it means to become and live like Europe. Yes, we know that this takes work, a great deal of work and sweat. Why should we deny the past, deny ourselves, deny the blood and sweat shed for this land? We are all Albanians, brothers of one blood, so let us roll up our sleeves and get to work to raise our name ever higher. Only work and the sweat of our brow will open the gates for us to become like Europe; nothing comes to us ready-made on a plate. XHEMAL MUCA Shkallë, Burrel

In 1953, when I began working as a teacher, Greshica had no teachers from the village. The school had only one teacher, who was from the city and had studied for one year at a madrasa to become a hodja. At the time, the village had a few houses with stone walls, while most were huts; its population was 700, and it could not secure enough bread for even five months of the year. But today all the houses in the village are new, some even two-storey, and equipped with radios, televisions, refrigerators and washing machines, as well as drinking water and electricity. Today the village has three eight-year schools with 500 pupils, on a par with the village’s population in 1950. The same five teachers who teach there are from the village. Until 1955, most pupils came to school barefoot, and children see this reality of the time in photographs at the school museum. And there is much more to mention. For all these things and for the better days to come, my fellow villagers and I voted for the PPSH. SADIK HYSENAJ teacher at the eight-year school Greshicë, Fier

At the request of a group of initiators from the cities of Tiranë, Korçë and Shkodër, the Albania–USA Friendship Association was established. The association will contribute to strengthening friendly relations between the Albanian people and the American people. It will also support the American people’s comprehensive efforts toward economic and social development, and vice versa, and will help develop friendly cooperation between Albania and the USA in fields of mutual interest. The Albania–USA Friendship Association will operate and carry out its activities in accordance with its deposited statute. (ATSH)

As part of the relationship between our National Library and the National Library of Portugal, an exhibition of Portuguese books opened yesterday afternoon in one of the halls of the Palace of Culture in Tiranë. Around 300 titles are on display, including historical, linguistic and literary publications, monographs, magazines, boo- (Continued on page 4)

- GJIROKASTËR - A contract has been signed between the garment manufacturing enterprise and the Greek company «Koala-export», and the relevant statute and report have been drawn up for the establishment of the joint venture «Gatillo», the first joint venture in the district. Initially, it will include a garment workshop, which will be expanded and further equipped in the future. The Greek company will provide raw materials and sales markets, as well as some of the machinery, while renewing the existing equipment. The introduction of advanced technology in the branch. The joint venture will help create jobs, provide employees with higher wages, and promote organization and progress in technology and design. NPV and the Greek company have completed their mutual agreement, and the documents have been submitted to the relevant department for approval. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

Results of the elections of April 7, 1991 (second round) for deputies to the People’s Assembly At its meeting of April 8, 1991, the Central Election Commission for deputies to the People’s Assembly, having carefully reviewed the minutes of the district election commissions and having found them accurate and complete in accordance with the election law, announces that 146,092 voters were registered at 400 polling stations for the elections of April 7, 1991. A total of 141,153 voters took part in the voting, equal to 96.6 percent of them. Examination of the above-mentioned documents shows that in the second round, by free vote and the will of the people, the following comrades were elected deputies to the People’s Assembly, by their respective districts and affiliations, as follows: District | First name | Father’s name | Surname | Affiliation | Valid votes | Votes won (in %) BERAT 1 | Abdi | Hasan | Baleta | PD | 10,595 | 60.67 DURRËS 35 | Ismet | Xhevat | Ferizaj | PD | 7,590 | 73.09 42 | Dhimitër | Theodhor | Miho | PD | 6,374 | 55.22 GJIROKASTËR 90 | Foto | Jorgji | Fuqi | PP | 8,017 | 57.00 KRUJË 118 | Alfred | Engjëll | Serreqi | PD | 5,348 | 54.90 LEZHË 129 | Esat | Shagjir | Myftari | PD | 6,393 | 57.51 131 | Givl | Rexhep | Brahimi | PP | 6,694 | 51.10 LUSHNJE 138 | Bardhyl | Qemal | Caco | PD | 8,977 | 58.46 139 | Kujtim | Masar | Gina | PD | 11,119 | 57.50 POGRADEC 166 | Belul | Haxhi | Lufo | PP | 7,336 | 93.23 SARANDË 174 | Andrea | Kosta | Zarbala | OM | 5,362 | 59.10 176 | Thoma | Jorgo | Mico | OM | 3,985 | 60.00 SHKODËR 193 | Behadir | Halit | Bakalli | PD | 7,536 | 59.00 197 | Vehbi | Hamdi | Gruda | PD | 7,210 | 56.70 TIRANË 213 | Fatos | Thanas | Nano | PP BR | 12,375 | 54.34 223 | Zyber | Fadil | Sinani | PP | 12,430 | 50.10 225 | Banush | Mustafa | Xhabrahimi | PP | 8,901 | 51.89 VLORË 250 | Petraq | Arqile | Çurri | PD | 4,908 | 59.00 In electoral district 142 of the Lushnjë district, new elections will be held on April 14, 1991. Note: Complete and final data on the elections, for all 250 deputies, broken down by districts, affiliations, etc., will be published in the next issue of the official gazette. CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION Tiranë, April 8, 1991.