After several hours of consultations among the presidiums of the political parties, the PP, PD, PR and PSD, the OMONIA organization, and with the participation in this consultation of the presidium of the BSP-Sh, the People’s Assembly resumed its proceedings yesterday at 02:40. After several hours of consultations among the presidiums of the political parties—the PP, PD, PR and PSD—the OMONIA organization, and with the participation in this consultation of the presidium of the BSP-Sh, the People’s Assembly resumed its proceedings yesterday at 02:40. The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Kastriot Islami, read the announcement: The Labour Party, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Social Democratic Party and the OMONIA organization agreed at the meeting of 3.6.1991: 1. - The Government shall resign. 2. - The President of the Republic of Albania shall be advised of the new prime minister proposed by the Labour Party, who, in cooperation with the political parties, shall draw up the composition of the government and its program on the basis of several fundamental directions worked out in inter-party consultations. 3. - Members of the new Government shall sever their ties with their respective parties and shall not have the right to form parties or engage in party or electoral activities. 4. - The new Government shall not have the right to be an electoral subject. 5. - The President shall be advised that new elections be held on an appropriate date during the period May-June 1992. 6. - The BSP-Sh agreed to guarantee social peace in cooperation with the new government and not to call a strike while this government is in office. In addition, at this meeting with the BSP-Sh presidium, a commitment was made that, once the resignation had been approved and the election date set, the strikes already under way would be called off. Then he gave the floor to Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who tendered the Government’s resignation. “I have been charged by the government,” he said, “with presenting its unanimous position regarding this particular matter, which arose before the general strike began. The Council of Ministers agrees to resign. It is taking this step to make way for the new political solution proposed by representatives of the country’s recognized parties at the meeting of the People’s Assembly on 1 June and reached today. The Government is convinced that its program and the initial measures it proposed constituted the only possibility for gradually stabilizing the extremely difficult economic, political and even social situation it inherited. Aware of the difficulties it would face, free of all egoism and guided only by the desire to serve the people’s interests, without party prejudice and distanced from the mistakes of the past, the government openly sought cooperation with all political forces and trade unions to suspend the strikes at least until the end of this year. It made the same request to the Assembly, but did not find the necessary support in it—a support that would have been realistic. The members of the government take this opportunity to thank all those individuals, social strata and groups who supported and encouraged it during its very brief activity, promising people that they will continue to work tirelessly, with honesty and patriotism. It is our duty to call on the people to remain calm, respect the laws, help prevent the economic and social situation from deteriorating further by returning to work, and avoid every step toward chaos that would seriously harm Albania’s interests on its road to democracy. On this occasion, I am authorized and entrusted with state and civic responsibility, and also as a deputy in this Assembly, to empha- emphasize that the agreement reached by the political parties does not take account of the country’s grave economic situation and the need to overcome it within a reasonable time. At the recent meetings between the parties and in contacts with the presidium of the cerning the BSPSH, a commitment was made that, once the agreement was approved and the election date set, the hunger strikes would be called off. He then gave the floor to Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who submitted the Government’s resignation. “I have been tasked as follows, in this statement: “Unable to perform the duties that the government undertook before the People’s Assembly and the President, as a result of the lack of support from the political forces and the obstruction of the activi-” Then many deputies of the Labor Party took the floor. Some of them were of the opinion that Prime Minister Fatos Nano should remain at the head of the government and that the next elections should be held at an appropriate time, once the economic difficulties had been overcome and calm and social peace had been established, after the deadline set in the agreement among the political parties. Most of them stressed that the agreement reached between the political parties on the government's resignation and on the holding of elections... (Continued on page 2)

MEDITATIONS BEFORE THE CONGRESS Only a few days separate us from the 10th Congress of the Labour Party. This Congress is extraordinary, not because of its place in the sequence, but because of the situation in which it will convene and the decisions it will make; it will mark a historic turning point in the Labour Party’s 50-year activity. The signposts of this turning point were set out with the publication of the Party’s Draft Program and Draft Statute. Through these (draft) documents, the Party is undertaking a profound renewal of its strategy and its organizational and ideological foundations, adapting them to the changes that have taken place within the country and in the world, especially in Europe, in its East and West. The members of the Labour Party made every sacrifice with full awareness, for Albania’s freedom and independence, for democracy and progress; they did so in the interests of the people. In this way they built their Party, their deeds matching their militancy. No honest Party member regrets the sacrifices we have made. The overwhelming majority of the Party’s membership are ordinary, honest people—people of work, production and the pen, citizens who strive with heart and soul to contribute to the country’s progress. They are among those who have never known privilege. These people, modest and above all honest, neither when they joined the Party nor today have thought that joining the Party should get them an armchair, a job, villas, passports and dollars, so they could enjoy themselves and sightsee around the world; above all, they have no ambition for power. These are the Party’s honor. The history of social movements and political parties shows that a few people have joined them for career advancement, privileges and power, in the service of their own egotistical and ambitious interests. This is a phenomenon of our times, so we must be very vigilant. This tendency becomes very tempting when a party comes to power or when it (whatever party it may be) tries to seize power. Our Party, too, did not escape this danger. Thus, over the decades, gradually and unnoticed, quietly and peacefully, like in a man and woman’s marriage bed, cancerous bureaucracy was born and grew, its metastases spreading from the center down to the bottom. They suffocated the Party and the state power. The bureaucracy took the form of a privileged caste, privileged materially and in the realm of thought. The socialist economic inequality that was objectively unavoidable was transformed into inequality that gave broad scope and legitimacy to a collective exploiting bureaucracy, “bourgeois without the bourgeoisie.” In the field of advancement, the line of the masses remained mostly a slogan, and its figurative expression was the raising of a hand. We all cheered and applauded this privileged caste: workers, Party members, intellectuals and peasants, women, young people and students. Even today it is the Party itself and its members, together with the people, who are condemning it. We, members of the Labour Party, unlike the people, are doubly accusing of the caste: first, through their actions they have inflicted great harm on the Party and compromised it. They have harmed Albania, the people and democracy. This triad is above everything for the Party, because every member of it is a citizen before being a Party member. We are therefore the people and the Party in the same boat in this struggle; we have the same aims and wishes in opposing the bureaucracy. Against the bureaucracy and other dark forces that endanger democracy, freedom, peace and stability, the Labour Party and its members are fighting with all their strength, with wisdom and tolerance, through dialogue and understanding—these are weapons in democracy’s arsenal. In the name of this struggle and of the long-suffering people, we have been and remain ready (and are making every effort) to unite with all the political forces and parties that currently exist in Albania. An honest person, whatever party they belong to, if they judge wisely and with sound logic, without resentment or rancor, and draw conclusions on the basis of realistic historical analyses, should distinguish the Labour Party from the bureaucracy that usurped power and exploited it for its own privileges. Before it is too late, let us look this historical truth, this Albanian reality, in the eye. Democracy, freedom, independence, well-being and peace—all things of great value—demand it.

- TIRANA - Sleepy eyes, a day that seemed livelier. The dozens of vehicles that began filling the capital’s streets immediately caught the eye, too. People look around for the bus, but in vain. Ask the passenger transport depot’s management. The managers are “smoke.” It is payday. Quite a few drivers came in the morning to find out, “to ask what is going to happen, whether work will start or the strike will continue.” But they turned back. No one can start work without a signal. “We’re waiting for an order from above,” they say at this depot. At the freight depot, it will take three or four days to get things back in order: time to organize, persuade the drivers and obtain the missing batteries. At least they should get started. But here too… “we’re waiting.” Another day without work. Nearly 20 days have passed since work stopped in many sectors of life. The hunger strikers in Valias have been underground for ten days. (Continued on page 2)

- OBSERVATION - There is no citizen of Vlora who has not become convinced that the Labour Party committee of this district does not care about money at all. And, indeed, the committee deserves credit for creating and strengthening this conviction. It is no joke: a host of staff employees, even though they have been practically without work for nearly four months, are still being paid as if they were at the height of their work. Among them is a former secretary, and for weeks now another former secretary has been added alongside him. Then the first secretary, for reasons no one knows, still has an assistant. Is this due to the inertia of tradition, or to the sake of authority? Questions were asked, comments were made, explanations were sought at the district’s latest Party conference: why have these comrades been kept on the staff for so many months without work, and why are they not being found productive work for society instead of being kept as parasitic consumers? The answer came, “convincingly”: “They are Party workers and cannot be thrown away like stones.” Someone in the hall said that “in fact, they have become immovable rocks.” Someone else said, “This is a unique case, at least in the district, of paying people for months without work!”… No, rightly so, this has been and remains unimaginable. And yet the conference has come and gone, and the process of transferring them is making no progress. It is said that positions have been earmarked for some of them. The files of managers have been studied; they have worked out when one of these men will retire, so that, at the right moment, they can be replaced by people from the committee. How long will this go on? As long as it takes. The committee is not worried at all. It has money and pays. Never mind that public opinion is rightly talking. It talks, but someone else—that person or those people who ought to hear its voice—play their own game, unaffected by “angry public opinion.” So the committee pays twice: with its authority and with its money. The committee’s generosity is truly touching. VANGJEL STEFA

The President of the Republic of Albania, Ramiz Alia, was informed of the agreement reached on 3.6.1991 by the political parties to form a government for the country’s political and economic stability, as well as of their commitment to BSPSH to end the hunger strike, guarantee the social wage, and refrain from strikes while this government is in office. He was also informed of their agreement to hold new elections in May–June 1992. Yesterday, the President also accepted the resignation submitted by Prime Minister Fatos Nano. Meanwhile, the President is consulting the country’s political forces regarding the formation of a new government. (ATSH) of that government. He also became acquainted with their agreement to hold new elections in the period the country's political forces regarding the formation of the new government. (ATSH)

The Presidium of the People’s Assembly and the chairmen of the parliamentary groups consider the protest by the organizing commission of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania justified, clarifying that their absence from the meetings was not due to prejudice. We also clarify that the new prime minister will meet with all the parties and trade unions regarding the establishment of the social wage. On this basis, the parliamentary groups call on this trade union, in these difficult economic, political, and social circumstances, to contribute to establishing a social wage. PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY

THE OBSERVER’S EYE It seems to us that some deputies were right to express concern at the first session of this Assembly, asking why they had not taken part in the preliminary consultations on a political solution and the formation of a government to ensure the country’s stability. In a statement made on this occasion, the Party of National Unity [text incomplete] ...

Following the announcement by the President of the Republic, Ramiz Alia, that he had accepted the resignation of Fatos Nano’s government and that new elections to the People’s Assembly would be held, the Central Commission of the General Strike decided to immediately call off the hunger strike in all districts of the country. Therefore, today, starting at 15:30, all the hunger strikers—miners, metallurgists, locomotive drivers, textile workers, and workers in other professions—who had been confined for days in mine galleries, railway stations, and other suitable premises, ended their hunger strike. The hunger strike was called off today by the miners of Valias, Vërdovë (Pogradec), Mborje-Drenovë, Bulqizë, and Fushë-Arrëz, and by the workers of the Glass Factory in Tirana and of those in Shkodër, Berat, Elbasan, and Durrës. The strikers left the mine galleries and other premises under medical supervision. (According to ATSH)

A group of initiators from the city of Tirana founded the Albania–Holland Friendship Association. The association will contribute to strengthening the friendly ties between the Albanian and Dutch peoples, help promote knowledge of the history, culture, traditions, and achievements in various fields of the Dutch people’s socioeconomic development, and vice versa, and support the development of cooperation between Albania and Holland in areas of mutual interest. The association will carry out its activities in accordance with its approved statute. (ATSH)

— SHKODËR — Many people received the news of a new political solution to the situation that had arisen with concern, right up until the early morning hours. The strike, which had continued for more than 20 days, and especially the dire condition of the hunger strikers, made this solution more urgent with every passing hour; therefore, the solution presented at the session of the People’s Assembly was called unprecedented. At last, a new political solution was presented to Parliament and the people. The political parties and trade union movements placed the letter A of understanding at the beginning, on which the entire alphabet of our future stability and unity, democratic future, and well-being can be built. Nevertheless, concerns in the city of Shkodër did not abate. The strike continued throughout the district yesterday, with only essential sectors remaining operational. The hunger strike also continued. Yesterday morning, spontaneous rallies were once again held in the square in front of the building of the independent trade unions. (Continued on page 2)

MEETING OF THE PARTY COMMITTEE BUREAU At its meeting on 3 June, the bureau of the PPSH committee discussed the political situation in the district of Gjirokastër and the duties of Party members and basic Party organizations up to the con- At its meeting on 3 June, the bureau of the PPSH committee discussed the political situation in the district of Gjirokastër and the duties of Party members and basic Party organizations up to the congress. Opinions were exchanged and a constructive debate was held on coordinating work with other political forces, maintaining calm and stability in the district, relations with the trade unions, and addressing pressing problems. (Continued on page 2)