Following consultations among the parliamentary groups over the past two days, the People’s Assembly began its proceedings yesterday morning at 9:00. At the beginning of the session, the chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Kastriot Islami, said: Over these two days, the parliamentary groups have exchanged views on devising a Government structure better suited to the current conditions of our country and to its development efforts. The many debates and discussions among the chairmen of the parliamentary groups, within the groups and between them, have led to the conclusion that the President of the Republic should be asked to make several changes to the Government’s structure: 1) The Ministry of Communal Economy and Environmental Protection, as well as the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, should be restructured and function as committees at ministerial level. 2) The National Security Committee should not be at ministerial level and should function as a central institution, whose status is to be determined by a separate law. 3) Until this law is adopted, the security bodies should be placed under the authority of the Minister of Public Order. Since this decision was reached by consensus, he said, I propose that we put it to a vote. The three chairmen of the parliamentary groups spoke. PD deputy Neritan Ceka said that the review of the Government’s structures proposed to this Assembly was a necessary and important condition for the Government to function, as well as for establishing a state governed by the rule of law. Reducing ministries to committee level would help streamline the Government’s structure and would draw the Government’s attention to the need for a more advanced conception of the state apparatus. Even more important, he pointed out, was the proposal to transform the Committee for Communal Economy and Environmental Protection and the Committee for Social Protection, restructuring them to function as committees at ministerial level. As presented by the chairman of the Presidium, it was justified and acceptable; likewise, he stressed, he found the proposals made here by the other two parliamentary-group chairmen acceptable. PD deputy Abdi Baleta asked to speak and stressed that this vote was premature and unjustified. He said that we had not been given the opportunity to express our views or offer opinions on the new structure presented to us. He protested against the procedure followed. Consultations among the parliamentary groups are turning into a parliament within a parliament, and this is a breach of procedure. PD deputy Vangjel Stamo also insistently asked to speak. The chairman of the Presidium stressed that, since we had reached a consensus, he proposed putting it to a vote. V. Stamo insisted again, saying he would leave the chamber if he was not given the floor. He left, followed by eight other PD deputies. The proposal was put to a vote and approved by more than two-thirds of the votes. After a recess, Prime Minister Fatos Nano informed the deputies that he had spoken with President of the Republic Ramiz Alia, who had decided that: 1) The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection would be transformed into the Committee for Labour and Social Support. 2) The Ministry of Communal Economy and Environmental Protection would be transformed into the Committee for Communal Economy and Environmental Protection. 3) The National Security Committee would be organized as a central institution after the relevant law was enacted. 4) Theodhori Bej would be appointed chairman of the Committee for Labour and Social Support, at ministerial rank. 5) Flamur Hoxha would be appointed chairman of the Committee for Communal Economy and Environmental Protection, at ministerial rank. Other countries are providing us with [assistance for] resolving the population’s housing problem, etc. He also clarified a number of questions concerning the pressing problems of the countryside, the present and future of agricultural cooperatives, the Government’s contribution to resolving other current concerns, such as raw materials for production, stabilizing life in every sphere, restoring calm, security and social peace, and respect for the law and protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms, etc. The discussion began as the proceedings continued. A large number of deputies took the floor. Their speeches brought opposing views to the forefront. PP deputies supported the program presented by Prime Minister Fatos Nano and the composition of the Government he headed, emphasizing the guarantees the program offered for halting the further decline and stabilizing the economy, and the effectiveness of the approaches and methods proposed to bring about the radical change that would set our economy and our entire society on a contemporary European course. They also supported the Prime Minister’s call to halt all strikes until the end of the year. Opposition deputies expressed their disapproval of the Government’s program, underlining that it did not analyze the causes of the grave economic and social situation, set no deadlines for fulfilling the promises made in the program, and proposed only minimal measures for the countryside, despite calling for comprehensive improvement. They also noted the need to formulate a policy of national reconciliation and focused on issues concerning the new Government’s credibility at home and abroad, the full rehabilitation of all former prisoners of conscience, and the economic and social problems of the minority.

- BERAT - The Party of Labour committee in the district of Berat has received extensive reports from the grassroots organizations on the discussion of the Party of Labour’s draft program. More specifically, discussions held in the organizations of the district Party Committee’s executive apparatus emphasized that the draft program and draft statute take account not only of the country’s current political, economic and social developments, but also support the opening up of prospects for further positive developments in the future. Since this program is fundamentally about renewing the Party, its implementation cannot succeed unless Party members themselves are renewed, unless they make democratic concepts part of their very being—something that cannot be achieved without a total renewal of society and a struggle against bureaucracy at its very roots. At the grassroots organization of the Meat and Dairy Enterprise, it was stressed that the struggle against bureaucracy must begin with renewal from the Government down to the grassroots; candidates for membership of the Party Central Committee’s plenum should be put forward from within the district, not from outside it; and members of the bureau at the central and district levels should not hold executive or leadership posts in government bodies at the district or central level. The renewed program of the Party of Labour and its democratic spirit have been evident in the many discussions in the grassroots organizations. These criteria have helped some organizations gain greater clarity in assessing district issues as well. To carry this idea further, we will highlight several discussions concerning the continued mission of the Party of Labour. Criticism and comments have been made about improving the connection between the Party Committee apparatus and the district executive apparatus and the problems and concerns at the grassroots, such as those arising recently from the division of agricultural economies and the supply of materials, etc. In this regard, the grassroots organizations in the land-reclamation sector raised the increasingly pressing issue of replacing long-serving managers, the incapable and the unqualified, with capable new people. At the Molisht grassroots organization, commitments made by the district’s leadership bodies but left unfinished were criticized, such as the case of the road. In conclusion, we would add that if it is accepted that the Party of Labour’s draft program has sparked discussion and debate, this is because it has been thoroughly renewed and is based on contemporary concepts.

- OBSERVATION - Some grassroots Party organizations are still failing to respond to the times. Here is an example: New elections were to be held in the coming days in grassroots Party Organization No. 2 of the eight-year school in Durrës. The Party of Labour members proposed a comrade for secretary. She stood up and objected. “I cannot take on this duty,” she said, “because the women’s organization has assigned me work in the neighborhood and my health is not good.” Nevertheless, to everyone’s surprise, the grassroots Party organization elected her secretary. Why did this comrade continue to insist, even after the vote, that she would not take on this duty? How can the grassroots organization place its trust in a comrade who says outright that she will not do this job? The members of this organization must reflect immediately, also take a position toward themselves, and propose another comrade, man or woman, who is capable and energetic and who, with full commitment, conviction and optimism, will work together with them to advance the Party’s work in their organization.

Alert to the editorial office The whole country is going through a difficult situation, and we think that the countryside feels and suffers it acutely. Signs of the breakup of cooperatives have begun to appear, as in some border farming economies in the district of Sarandë, in Sibanaj and Nivicë of Tepelenë, and in Kolonjë and Fushë-Bardhë of Gjirokastër. We are not specialists qualified to assess cooperatives, the cooperative system and agricultural work, but we want to express the concern we too feel. What are they doing like this, for better or worse, and where are they headed? We have seen and heard for ourselves in Komispol, in Ball and Mërtinj of Përmet, on the border with Skrapar, that the farmers support preserving the cooperative. Most of them say so, including specialists and experienced staff familiar with rural work, people who were born there and have made their lives and done their work there. So why are these concerns arising? In Këlcyra, the difficult situation becomes even harder for everyone. Four or five people in a village stand up—people whose eyes have been blinded and who imagine they will become wealthy—and attack and take whatever they find, including the land; they want to break it up. Are these people cooperative members? And if they are, are they sure and convinced they have found a better solution? Theft has increased in cooperatives and villages, both from within and from outside; livestock is seized and sold wherever possible, inside the country and abroad. What is happening to livestock today may have more serious consequences than collectivization. The branch offices are confused and have taken a position against the cooperatives, we do not know whether for good or ill, and even against the valuable animals. They do not want to implement the measures and cannot adapt them to the conditions of the farms they manage. Some are going… … the establishment of the rule of law. Downgrading two ministries to the rank of committees will help deepen the Government’s structure and is a decision that draws the Government’s attention to a more comprehensive conception of the construction is the proposal to elevate the National Security Committee to the rank of a central institution. In this way, the aim is for this service, which is essential to the nation, to find its place in state life with a completely new relationship to politics and, in particular, to the freedoms and rights of citizens. In the functioning of this service, which is so important to the state, we should give a greater role to jurists. He proposed to the Assembly that the head of this institution be selected from the field of justice and invited the deputies to approve these changes. OMONIA deputy Jani supports the views of his colleague Ceka. PP deputy Ismail Leka also said that the groups’ proposal… 3) The National Security Committee should be organized as a central institution; calls were made for the drafting of a national reconciliation policy, and issues were raised concerning the credibility of the new government prisoners of conscience, the economic and social problems of the minority, etc. The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly then gave the floor to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Fatos Nano, who described the discussions as constructive. It is difficult, he said, to carry out and resolve the accumulated problems, but it is a patriotic duty for everyone to commit themselves to finding solutions to the problems. Let us express this constructive commitment through concrete work. He considered the comments and suggestions made to be useful; they will be reflected in the Government’s final program. To this end, he… (Continued on page 2) … the National Security Committee… in this way… that… … minimum … while full privatization is being demanded. The workers of Skrapar, the villagers, are also in favor of preserving the cooperative. This was expressed by most of them: specialists and experienced cadres familiar with village affairs, people born there who have made their lives and worked there. Why, then, are these concerns arising? Let us state openly the reasons we consider and feel, which we also encounter in the field, during meetings and among the people. The climate of uncertainty and political, economic and law-and-order instability continues. Let us not forget that the peasant may be more sensitive to these things. The elections are over, but the turnaround and change in the situation are delayed. After the first days, which were so warmly welcomed, concern… … we have seen and heard for ourselves from the cooperative; in Ball and Mërtinj of Përmet, bordering Skrapar, the villagers support then, are these concerns arising? … Why should this be allowed? The people have raised and educated them for a day like this, so that they may stand up for them, explain things to them, raise their spirits and enlighten their minds. But many cadres and members of the PPSH have themselves become disoriented. The masses, ordinary people, must never be burdened. This is right, but it must not be turned into… … are they or are they not sure and convinced that is stolen and sold wherever possible, inside and outside the country. What is happening to livestock today may have consequences more serious than collectivization. There is theft, there are threats; whose property are they putting out on the roads and along the highways? We must put a stop to the destruction now befalling the village. Everyone must take the signs seriously, however early they may be—state and parties, citizens and villagers, the people and every individual. By destroying the village, they destroy themselves and the Fatherland. THANAS DINO

- From our special correspondents at the People’s Assembly. - The new Government’s program for economic reforms, presented by Prime Minister Fatos Nano and now familiar to the public at large, is a document that is both serious and optimistic, and achievable. So now it is time to get to work… “TO RESTORE PEOPLE’S CONFIDENCE Because, as was also explained in yesterday’s sessions, the economy is in a serious condition, and nobody would want the problems to deepen further. But people’s confidence will not be restored either by looking for the causes of the situation we have reached or by merely making observations to ‘prove,’ from the position of the opposition, the incapacity of the interim government and the newly formed cabinet… Some deputies, such as Teodor Keko of the PD, think that the people will ‘carry him on their shoulders’ just because he said ‘the situation is tragic’ and people set off to work without putting anything in their stomachs. No, the people’s confidence is not restored by populist remarks. They want solutions; they want to know how to get out of this tragic situation, and to hear the words of their representative in parliament, expressed as simply and realistically as possible, and with goodwill. The people are not reassured by ‘predictions… (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday afternoon, the President of the Republic of Albania, Ramiz Alia, received at his residence the second mission of the International Monetary Fund, headed by Prof. Mario Blejer. President Ramiz Alia held a warm and friendly conversation with them. He spoke at length about the challenges our country is currently facing at this stage of transition from a centralized economy to a market economy. The market economy, Mr. Alia stressed, is an objective that calls for overcoming the economic crisis, which continues; we are in a crisis. The first view is subjective and stems from our specialists’ lack of knowledge and familiarity, since we are at a stage of development in which transformations are taking place in every field and we have undertaken economic, political and social reform. Now, under a pluralist state, political changes may be easier, whereas in the economy they are much more difficult. He expressed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the International Monetary Fund mission and for its experience. Prof. Mario Blejer, after thanking President Ramiz Alia for the reception, expressed his appreciation for the friendly cooperation with Albanian specialists and his commitment to contributing to the process of Albania’s membership in the International Monetary Fund. During the meeting, views were exchanged on stabilizing the situation in our country and on ways to move forward, on the greater role the State Bank of Albania should play as a counterweight to all state economic bodies, and on the fiscal system as a step that must be taken as soon as possible wherever necessary. Also present at the reception were the Director General of the State Bank of Albania, Niko Gjyzari, and the Deputy Minister of Finance, Anastas Angjeli. (ATA)

The first National Geophysics Symposium continued its proceedings in three sections. At the outset, the Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Drini Mezini, received the foreign scientists attending the symposium in one of the halls of the National History Museum. Among other things, he stressed that we will strengthen cooperation with foreign countries, as also reflected in the platform of the new Government’s program. The companies and firms you represent will therefore be our first partners. He wished them a pleasant stay and continued success in their work. The Minister invited our specialists to continue their meetings and discussions with the foreign scientists in order to expand and give concrete form to cooperation. Prof. Albert Baly and Dr. Nevill Manderson, from the USA, thanked their hosts for the warm reception, praised the quality of the symposium and said that geophysics in Albania had made progress, taking the circumstances into account. The most important thing for a specialist, they emphasized, is to be optimistic and persevere in one’s work. The geophysicists from France, Filip Julien and Benoit Mouly, expressed views on expanding cooperation in interpreting geophysical results obtained in our country, which is of interest to us. The chairman of the Geological Association of Albania, Doc. Aleksandër Çina, also attended the meeting. * * * Presentations were then delivered in the various sections. Presentations were also given in the Ore Geophysics section. Dr. Radium Avxhiu reported on the current state of development of geophysical methods for mineral exploration in our country and on several problems that need to be addressed. Candidate of Sciences Përparim Alikaj spoke about the new spectral induced-polarization method, while engineer Fatmir Duli presented a paper on the use of a combination of geophysical methods for chromite exploration. Of particular interest… (Continued on page 4)

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The Organizing Commission, the 13 different professional federations and all the employees who belong to these federations are following with interest the current developments in our country. interest the current developments in our country. In the conditions of the severe economic, political and social crisis that has engulfed the country, the standard of living of workers and all other employees in Albania has been deeply affected. Closely and with extraordinary concern following the proceedings of the People’s Assembly and the Government’s program platform, the employees of our trade union federations call for the formation of the new Government to be accelerated, so that it may take charge as soon as possible of resolving a range of pressing problems and stabilizing the situation. Expressing the views of the employees of our federations and of the country’s other employees, we insist that the urgent 14-point demands addressed to Prime Minister Fatos Nano, and those submitted to the relevant ministries concerning wage increases, adjustment of the price and wage index, supplies of raw materials and materials, urban and interurban transport, improvement of essential working and living conditions, improvement of pension arrangements, and, in particular, the preservation of public order and calm, be addressed for resolution immediately after the formation of the new Government and no later than 15 days thereafter. Discussions should then be held with the organizing commission, and the specific decisions should be made public. Workers are aware that these problems cannot be resolved in a day, but we call on the new Government to take urgent and concrete measures to give serious consideration, without bureaucratic obstruction, to their lawful and just demands. Any other position will cause indignation and distrust and will increase work stoppages in vital sectors of the economy, such as oil, mining, agriculture, transport, construction, chemical metallurgy, etc. This will further aggravate the country’s already severe economic situation, bringing undesirable economic and social consequences. THE ORGANIZING COMMISSION Tirana, 11 May 1991