The leaders of the Party Committee in Durrës, former members and candidates of the Political Bureau whom the congress expelled from the party for well-known reasons, also have other offenses against the people and the Party organization of Durrës. In Durrës they ruled as they pleased, creating their own cults, their own fiefdoms. It is therefore entirely right to call for further analysis so that the party can be completely cleansed of those degenerate elements who gathered around them and became nothing but their lackeys and clowns. This follows from the necessity of completely cleansing the party, so that the new Socialist Party, with its new ideological, organizational, etc. platform, can be one of the country’s main political forces, enjoying the people’s full confidence. The separation from the masses in Durrës, one of the major mistakes of the Party Committee apparatus, did not happen in a single day. It developed gradually. The masses spoke, party members raised their voices, but the “leaders,” the “loyal soldiers of the party,” saw only their own shell. Muho Asllani started things off with fanfare in Durrës by building some apartments, but only to create his personal image, his petty-bourgeois “empire”: I am here, I am the savior, I stamp and sign, and any opposition to me will be paid for dearly. And this very bad spirit was also fostered by some servile, corrupt apparatchiks, utterly lacking in personality. The Party Committee in Durrës became almost like a fortress where people had to knock, and knock hard several times, yet might or might not manage to meet its secretaries. And when they did meet them, people around knew that there was a “gjyeti” in Durrës, out by the Sukth Agricultural Enterprise, where no one else was allowed in—only the “loyal soldiers of the party.” The shooting rang out, even machine-gun fire, like volleys, just as in a war, against dozens and dozens of pheasants and other birds. Where did these poor victims go? Some agricultural cooperatives became completely like fiefdoms. The chief party leaders in the district were supplied, like thieves, secretly, with meat and all kinds of good things. The people knew these things too and talked about them, but the party bureaucrats dismissed them as hearsay. Party members raised their voices, but to these bureaucrats they were “troublemakers” and “underminers of unity.” Qirjako Mihali often postponed Bureau meetings or rushed through them just to get them over with, because they interfered with his precious time for fishing. And he went not only on Sundays, but every day. Everyone saw this. He must also have heard what people in Durrës say: the motorboat he rode in would often cross the maritime boundary, and the coast guards would come and remind him to turn back. The district’s party leaders heard what the people said: even their wives made the personnel decisions. Muho Asllani knows very well that he also dictated the law in the judicial bodies, which dared not oppose him. In this way he sentenced whomever he wanted and closed files whenever it suited him, as happened, for example, with the export park cases, which implicated many corrupt party cadres in the district and at the center. The people know that Qirjako Mihali found ways to get hold of cars belonging to various directors of the Party Committee, as well as of some instructors who changed their shifts whenever they felt like it. In Durrës, the saying “a new secretary, a new house” became proverbial. And what houses they were—two or more apartments, with municipal work crews laboring for weeks and months, outfitting them with the most expensive materials, imported goods, and various things from tourism, etc., so that these gentlemen could have all the comforts in their homes and think more clearly and creatively for the good of the people, beside their own fireplaces. These kinds of feudal lords, who could hardly be called secretaries, will certainly have to answer for themselves in the analyses to be conducted by the party organizations. They will have to answer not only for these things, but for others as well. What can they say? In Durrës, everyone knows that one of the three areas of responsibility was a stronghold of many unqualified people: the material and technical supply enterprises, where many incapable people vegetated like pashas. They must answer for their negative attitude toward Durrës’s wonderful intelligentsia, which the patriots wanted to turn into robots. These former leaders must also answer for other officials in the apparatus who concocted a rosy picture in their reports to the top, artificially inflated the real situation, covered up shortcomings, and, when criticism appeared in the press, tried to turn the leadership against the authors of the articles, saying that they were tarnishing the party’s work in Durrës, that they were to blame for the failures and other negative phenomena. Many incapable, cowardly elements accumulated in the party apparatus, people who took that path only for gifts, intrigues, machinations and backroom dealings, and then, for their “great contribution,” secured privileged positions when they left the apparatus. They too must be held accountable, because they severely damaged the Party’s image. People like them did the damage, not the ordinary members, of whom there are thousands. The analyses must be carried out quickly. The comprehensive renewal of the new Socialist Party begins at the grassroots. Its complete distancing from the bitter past began at the 10th Congress and must be deepened quickly, especially at the grassroots. The Socialist Party cannot keep such elements in its ranks. This is how it will become stronger, purer, fresher, more honest, more progressive and dearer to the people. And it certainly will. This very bad atmosphere was also fostered by some servile, corrupt little apparatchiks with no personality whatsoever. where people had to knock—and knock hard several times—but still could meet them, many came away disillusioned. Whenever they held public reception hours, the secretaries would dodge them and send an instructor in their place. From time to time orders were given to shut the committee’s doors, and party workers, officials, etc. with various problems could barely get in. The people had many troubles; these were raised at meetings and brought before party members too, but privileges in Durrës kept growing for the small party elite in charge. Their petty-bourgeois spirit had gone so far that even colour televisions were allocated by the first secretaries. They did “favours” wherever they pleased, but not without compensation. These are the kinds of justifications that make you furious, like those we heard at the congress from Muho Asllani and Qirjako Mihali. The people of Durrës and the Party organization of justice, who did not dare oppose him. Thus he sentenced those he wanted and closed files whenever he pleased, as happened, for example, with the cases concerning the export park, in which many corrupt party officials in the district and at the centre were implicated. The people know how Qirjako Mihali lied to them when his car, driven not by the chauffeur but by his son, overturned on the railway tracks at NB Sukth, spilling a dozen or more full containers of raki; when it came time to investigate, he covered up the incident as if nothing had happened. There is no end to the scandals committed by such leaders, who have betrayed the Party and the people through deceit and gravely damaged its image. Durrës had become another powerful enclave. From the grand villa and its compound, where former senior party leaders from the centre came and passed the time like kings, to the leadership villas on the beach, where millions were spent on luxury and food, surrounded by iron fences and soldiers, as if they lived on another planet and not among the people. In this suffocating atmosphere, former party secretaries in the district and at the centre all moved about.

Yesterday afternoon at 17:00, the People’s Assembly began its session and continued its examination and discussion of normative decrees. The Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Lush Përpali, who chaired the session, said that they should proceed to approve the law “On the Financial Police.” Deputy Ismail Lleshi, taking the floor, stressed that the parliamentary group he represents would now be called the Socialist Party parliamentary group. Deputy Neritan Ceka, on behalf of the DP parliamentary group, offered congratulations on the Socialist Party’s new name and on its parliamentary group represented in this assembly, expressing hopes for expanded cooperation and further progress in the democratization of the country’s life. Deputy Panajot Barka of Omonia also congratulated the party on its new name. He also explained why he had not attended the previous session, citing the lack of transportation. Discussion then began on the decree “On the Financial Police.” Deputies first approved the decree in principle. Among other things, it states that the Financial Police is an armed, specialized executive body responsible for monitoring compliance with fiscal legislation by the state and private sectors, and by foreign or Albanian natural and legal persons headquartered outside Albania who conduct economic activity in our country. The Financial Police Directorate is established under the Ministry of Finance and has branches in the districts. It is subordinate to the Minister of Finance and is also accountable to the Executive Committees of the People’s Councils of the districts and regions. The decree specifies the duties and powers of the Financial Police. Deputies also discussed the articles of the decree, on which the Budget, Treasury and Statistics Commission and the Laws Commission of the People’s Assembly had submitted comments. On this basis, they approved the decree “On the Financial Police” article by article and in its entirety. The session resumes today at 17:00. (ATSH)

Yesterday, a delegation from our country, headed by Foreign Minister Muhamet Kapllani, left for the Federal Republic of Germany to take part in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the participating States of the CSCE, to be held in Berlin on June 19–20, 1991. The delegation also includes senior representatives of political parties: Socialist Party Chairman Fatos Nano, Chairman of the Democratic Party Steering Commission Sali Berisha, Chairman of the Presidium of the Provisional Steering Council of the Social Democratic Party Skënder Gjinushi, and member of the Republican Party Initiating Commission Hysen Cobani. Those at Rinas Airport to see the delegation off included Deputy Prime Minister Zyhdi Pepa, Minister of Internal Trade and Tourism Agim Mero, State Secretary for Education Paskal Milo, Deputy Foreign Minister Sokrat Plaka, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and senior representatives of political parties in Albania. Also present was Kristian Nakon, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Albania. (ATSH)

At the meeting held on 17.6.1991 at the seat of the Council of Ministers, the Government for the Stabilization of the Country, together with representatives of the workers’ trade unions, considered the demands they had made. Prime Minister Ylli Bufi spoke to the trade union representatives about the measures the government plans to take to address the unions’ general demands, such as changes to the system of wages, pensions and scholarships. The Prime Minister stressed that the government believes wages for employees in the state sector should be increased overall by 50 percent. The increase will be higher, from 60 to 80 percent, for workers in the oil industry, construction, the production of construction materials, and the production of electricity and steam. For the first stage, beginning in the first half of July, wages will rise by 25 percent for all state-sector employees and by 15 percent for mine workers. In the first half of September, the full wage increase—from 50 to 80 percent, according to branches of the economy and other sectors—will be implemented. The 50 percent wage supplement will also go to agricultural specialists working in agricultural cooperatives whose wages are compensated by the state. The measures the government plans to take and presented to the trade union representatives also provide for a 25 percent increase in the minimum pensions of all categories in the state and cooperative sectors. After this increase, these pensions, as well as the pensions of other categories, [sentence incomplete in the original]. The package of measures adopted by the government also provides for a 50 percent increase in student and pupil scholarships, starting September 1, 1991. At the meeting, several members of the government stressed that there can be no economic reform without liberalizing prices and wages. The Council of Ministers will keep under control, with no price increases, a range of goods related to securing the people’s basic livelihood. Prices for a number of other important items will also be controlled and “capped” by the Ministry of Finance, while prices for other items will be set by producers and consumers according to supply and demand. Liberalization of these prices will begin after September 16. In response to successive increases, prices will be indexed with corresponding wage increases. The representative of the Railway Workers’ Union agreed with the measures proposed by the Council of Ministers to meet its demands and declared that the strike in this sector would end immediately. After discussions by government members and trade union representatives, the Council of Ministers continued its work on drafting the official responses to the unions’ demands. The relevant decisions to be taken at this meeting will be published. This increase will be higher, from 60 to 80 per cent, construction materials, the production of electric power and steam, and for law-enforcement and army personnel. As for underground mining and geology workers, who received a 60 per cent pay increase in January this year, their current wages will be raised by a further 15 per cent. For other workers in these sectors, who received a pay increase of less than 50 per cent in January, the current wage increase will bring it up to the point where the difference to 50 per cent is made up, taking the wage level before 1 January as the basis. The Government, the Prime Minister stressed, believes that across the board by 50 per cent. cent, before 1 January as the basis. Taking into account the current monetary situation of the State Bank of Albania, the Government intends to implement the wage increases in stages, in two phases: In pha-

The night before last at 21:25, the Italian ferry “Sansovino Venezia” entered the port of Durrës and docked at its quays. It brought back from Ancona, Italy, 383 Albanian refugees who had left in recent days using unsuitable vessels. They were from the cities of Fier and Fier and the surrounding villages of Vlorë. The refugees were escorted by the Italian Carabinieri Directorate. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Shefqet Muçaj, deputies, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, various political parties, the human rights forum and other independent trade unions were at the port. The Italian ambassador to Albania, Torquato Cardilli, was also there. The district’s public-order and government authorities had taken all the necessary measures for the refugees’ disembarkation and their departure by bus to their residential centers. The last bus left Durrës for the refugees’ residential area at 22:05, while the ferry left the port at 22:30. The entire operation was carried out in complete calm and without any incident. Also the night before last, another 30 Albanian refugees were brought from Ravenna, Italy, aboard the ferry “Buona Speranza.” This vessel did not enter the port, so at 22:00 it headed for the roadstead, where the tugboat “Durrahu” was waiting. There, the refugees were handed over by the Italian authorities to the government bodies and public-order forces. The tugboat entered the port at 23:15. These refugees too were calmly put on buses and taken to their residential centers. (ATSH)

The President of the Republic of Albania, Ramiz Alia, sent Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain a congratulatory telegram on the occasion of the national holiday and the Queen’s birthday. The telegram reads: “Your Majesty, I warmly wish to convey to you the best wishes that I express on behalf of the Albanian people and in my own name, and to send Your Majesty the warm sentiments and best wishes that I express for Your Kingdom and personally for Your Majesty.” (ATSH)

Recently, population movements without any criteria have been observed in several districts of the country, especially from villages toward cities or their outskirts, and from highland and mountainous areas to lowland and plain areas. Particularly in the district of Shkodër, many families from the villages of the districts of Pukë, Kukës, Tropojë, Lezhë and Krujë, as well as from the Dukagjin area, have gone to the village of Vrakë, occupying houses and plots—cultivated land, gardens, cultural centers, etc. They have also seized livestock from this and other agricultural economies, are damaging planted crops, and are stealing ready produce such as fodder, vegetables, potatoes, etc. These actions, which have caused concern among local residents, are in complete violation of the laws in force. In this context, some villagers are considering taking back the land they owned before collectivization, at a time when we are all witnessing very major demographic changes and movements from villages within the cooperative, through amalgamation, and from villages to cities. How the land will be dealt with will be determined by the new law, which will be approved soon. (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday, the Basic Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was signed in Tirana. On behalf of the Albanian government, the agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Muhamet Kapllani, and on behalf of UNDP by its resident representative in our country, Jean-Nicolat Marshall. Present at the signing ceremony were members of the UNDP delegation, Leuenen Miller, programme coordinator for Europe at the Office for Arab and European Countries, and UNDP official Yousef Ibrahim. Present on the Albanian side were Petrit Shkëndja, chairman of the Committee for Science and Technology, Paskal Milo, State Secretary for Education, Nikolla Konomi, rector of the University of Tirana, etc. (ATSH)

Observation 17 June 1991. Last year, citizens had made up their minds about subscriptions at the printing house. This year the campaign began later. In the PT offices in the Tirana district, one response draws attention: subscriptions are made at the central post office. We head there. Many citizens, subscription forms in hand, stand before five employees who apparently have taken it upon themselves to process subscriptions to all the many press publications. The long journeys to the centre and the unchecked responses, also adopted for the campaign, have directed the mass of subscribers. We speak with the head of the press division at Tirana PT, Gëzim Mezini: “Since the campaign began later, on our own initiative we concentrated subscriptions in a single office, so that the cards could be processed as quickly as possible,” he says. But the truth tells a different story. This so-called concentration not only fails to speed up the work, but so far has not even provided the proper information about the number of subscriptions. It can only be judged that this number has declined. Given readers’ growing interest and their complaints, and for the good of the work, we have a suggestion for the Tirana PT directorate: allow the “innovative initiatives” that hinder the work and annoy people. The leaders of the PT General Directorate should not merely be “servants,” SOKOL GRUDA ARBANITA RREDHI

On an amendment and an addition to the composition of the Government of National Stability Pursuant to Article 33 of Law No. 7491, dated 20.4.1991, “On the Main Constitutional Provisions,” and upon the proposal of the Chairman of the Government of National Stability; I hereby decree: 1. Fatos Nano is relieved of his duties as Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, at his request. 2. Ylli Çabiri is appointed Minister of Foreign Economic Relations. 3. Teodor Kareco is appointed Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers. 4. This decree enters into force immediately. Tirana, 17.6.1991 Decree No.: 5 PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC Ramiz Alia