Today is June 25. We are at the height of the wheat harvesting and threshing campaign. We have heard partial reports from districts and individual farms. But it is difficult to find an overall picture of these days. At the Ministry of Agriculture, where one would hope to learn something about how this work is progressing, there are not even records for the last few days. From the weekly report dated June 19, we learn that only 7 percent of the area sown with wheat has been harvested. Comparisons with a year ago cannot even be made. But what concerns us is not simply the delay, but what is happening. A general paralysis in the ministry, when we are used to speaking about this campaign in superlatives: general mobilization, total commitment of forces and equipment, and so on and so forth. Where has that spirit gone? How did that sense of responsibility among leaders in agricultural enterprises, districts, and even ministries and the Government fade so quickly? Of course, we are not talking about slogans, which have become unbearable, or about the leaders' false mobilization, but about the responsibility everyone should feel for such a major issue as ensuring the people's bread. Leaders recount, without the slightest concern, facts about how wheat is being wasted and misappropriated. One gets the impression that we are not at the height of the harvesting and threshing campaign, but at the height of a campaign to steal the harvest. And that is the truth. Still, one thing we can conclude from what is happening: the campaign is the yardstick that determines the abilities of officials, their medal (career) or their punishment; yet now they have become mere spectators of this tragicomedy being played out with the people's bread. We have welcomed, and will continue to welcome, the aid and loans being provided by foreign countries. The grain aid given to us by Turkey, Germany and the USA is, first and foremost, political; we value it as a bridge of friendship with the peoples and states of those countries. But it is merely symbolic aid, which cannot keep us alive for long. The loans and aid we will receive are needed for investment, to rebuild the economy. Otherwise, if they are used to buy grain and other food, it will be difficult for us to lift the economy out of the abyss. That is why we must secure our own bread and food, primarily by ourselves. This is the message about the people's bread.

What is being written on the first page of renewal... To bring one era to a close and begin another does not mean that, all of a sudden, by administrative order, you wake up one morning renewed. Such a change was demanded by the times and came as a necessity. Renewal turned its first page with the conclusion of the Congress's proceedings. A page was to be written there, for people to read the beginning of a new prosperity, or else the old letters and words would be rewritten in a different guise. The first page of renewal points to the former—to prosperity. What was written there? I think many things. The participants at the Congress—and, as these days have shown, the people, members and sympathizers of the Socialist Party as well—demonstrated their support for the new leadership and the new program. They wanted them not merely because they had been chosen to replace some corrupt leaders, but also because of the leadership's composition. Educated young men and women, with new ways of thinking, free of prejudice and other complexes. They wanted them because, on this day of testing, they showed that they could stand firm in the future. There were participants at the Congress, as well as others who followed it, who may have felt uneasy at first and sincerely thought that renewal was incomplete. Perhaps this was because of the speeches of some delegates, and of some outdated cheers that called more for readiness than for higher social and human aspirations, even though there was a delegate among them who did not deserve to be there. It is understandable that revitalization—or, more precisely, the creation of a new dimension in the life of the nation, as the Socialist Party is today—is not easy. It cannot be achieved by ending one session and beginning another, by dropping one discussion and extending another. If it were that simple, the Party would have renewed itself long ago. Given how things had developed, what was needed were new political foundations, new ideological dimensions, and economic structures and ways of thinking suited to the times. And this is what was written on the first page of renewal. It so happened that the day after the Congress proceedings ended, I was at the headquarters of the Socialist Party in Shkodër. Many people came in a very short time. They wanted to know more about how the proceedings had gone: about the discussions, the elections, and the proper and resolute stance toward the bureaucratic caste. They asked about reform, the program, and the new objectives. A conversation began on the steps and continued in the offices. I did not see this influx of people as mere curiosity. It seemed to me that it was the first sign of a return of lost trust, of a human presence in response to the emergence of a new Party. The same thing happened at the meeting organized at the «Migjeni» theatre with Spiro Dede, the vice-chairman of the Socialist Party. There were many requests to attend, from all kinds of people, including opponents. Why? They want to know about the Socialist Party's present and future changes. Ultimately, this is a sign of trust in it. Perhaps it is not expressed well, perhaps it is not properly understood, even inwardly. And this will be written on the first page of renewal as a sign of prosperity. The broad membership of the Socialist Party is following the leaders' work with warmth and sympathy, and with respect. Because they see in the new leaders the necessary reformers, people with a modern outlook and natural authority. This, too, is a sign of prosperity on the first page of renewal. I would like to end this note here. But there are two things I cannot leave unmentioned. There are still grassroots Party organizations, as well as district committees, that are waiting as if renewal were to come from above. For example, local branches are waiting for the centre, as happened in Shkodër; they are waiting for guidance and further instructions. This is an old way of thinking, overtaken by the times. There is something else, too. Only the opposition would fail to believe in the Party's renewal—or, more precisely, in the emergence of a new Party. It is sounding every trumpet against it. It called them neocommunists, and called it renewal, and... many other things. Do they really not believe? I may be wrong, but it seems to me that such predictions and such prophets are far too late.

BERAT Among the main ideas of the Party's 10th Congress, one can single out the break with and distancing from the past, from outdated ways of thinking and practices. This applies not merely to form, but above all to substance. It was expected that the spirit of realistic assessments of one Party member or leader or another would also be reflected in the grassroots organizations. There is no need to think: «They have been in the Party for so many years, and now we should expel them», or «This person really is needed, but as a person they aren't bad». Whoever is under discussion, whoever has vices, whoever's membership in the Party

- DURRËS - These days, a meeting with the writer Qamil Bu- was held in one of the halls of the Socialist Party committee for the district of Durrës. These days, a meeting with the writer Qamil Bu[x] was held in one of the halls of the Socialist Party committee for the district of Durrës.

- Deputy Prime Minister Gramoz Pashko meets with the Vice-President of the Commission of the European Community, Franc Andriesen. - Yesterday, at the headquarters of the European Community in Brussels, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Gramoz Pashko was here and met Frans Andriesen. They exchanged views on the development of relations and the possibilities for economic cooperation between Albania and the European Community in various fields of mutual interest. Deputy Prime Minister Pashko spoke about Albania’s national stabilization economic program and the efforts being made to overcome the economic crisis. He dwelt at length on the package of economic reforms drawn up in the context of the transition of the Albanian economy to a market economy. After welcoming the European Community’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with Albania, he pointed out the importance our country attaches to relations and (Continued on page 4)

At the invitation of Greece’s Foreign Minister, Antonis Samaras, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Albania, Muhamet Kapllani, will travel to Corfu on June 26 to meet with the Greek foreign minister. They will discuss all areas concerning bilateral relations and exchange views on current political issues. (ATSH)

Minister of Economic Relations Ylli Çabiri made an official visit to Greece and held talks with Hatzidakis, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Transport, on avenues for developing economic and trade relations. During the talks, agreements were signed for Greek loans [?] and for […] banking.

can single out breaking away and distancing itself from the past, from outdated mindsets all to substance. The Congress’s spirit of renewal was well received, as were the change of name from the Party of Labour to the Socialist Party, the expulsion of some of its leaders from the Party, the election of new people to the new leadership, and so on. But in conversations with members of the Socialist Party, as well as its supporters in the district of Berat, we have sometimes also encountered a comment or suggestion that we think is worth discussing at greater length. The issue is sentimentalism. “There can be no genuine renewal when sentimentalism gets in the way,” says Party member Edmond Shqiño. At this time, this feeling is anti-renewal, since it often mixes with nostalgia for the past—for a personality, an episode, and so on—and ultimately does nothing but prolong the life of the past, its prejudices, and consequently hold back the new, which is so essential to the existence of the renewed party and its mission. In short, the concern is that the party should be renewed, the experience [?] stal … leader or another should reason to think: “They’ve we should expel them,” or “Indeed, this person is honest, but as a person they’re not bad, etc.” Anyone who is discredited, anyone tainted by vices, who has exploited their membership in the party or a leadership position to ride roughshod over the people, has no place in the Socialist Party. At the same time, it must be said that without prejudice based on the past, all those who were unjustly expelled for trivial reasons should be given a chance to be reconsidered and join the new party. The cases we have mentioned are more visible than those in which a grassroots organization’s member or leader has adopted the psychology of dictatorship. These “little” dictators have imposed servility, submission, and careerism on others—in other words, the negation of humanity. This abuse of human values nearly destroyed the honest person, the one who would fill the Party’s ranks. Will things continue this way? Certainly not. Above all, because it has become clear that every grassroots organization must work together for a more humane party; total renewal is needed, without sentiment, without nostalgic tears. ASLLAN SARAÇI

- DURRËS - These days, a meeting with the writer Qamil Buxheli and People’s Artist Kadri Roshi was held in one of the halls of the Socialist Party committee of the district of Durrës. It was attended by Socialist Party members, veterans, and young people. These days, a meeting with the writer Qamil Buxheli and People’s Artist Kadri Roshi Party committee of the district of Durrës. It was attended by Socialist Party members, veterans, and young people. The two comrades spoke at length about the decisions of the 10th Congress, the content of the Socialist Party’s new program, and the tasks facing it and all its members and supporters as it seeks to become one of the most powerful political forces in the life of the country. That same day, another meeting was held at the “A. Moisiu” Palace of Culture with Servet Pëllumbi, Vice-Chairman of the Presidium of the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party of Albania. Attendance was very high. This meeting, too, featured an extensive discussion of the Socialist Party’s new platform, which fully aligns itself with the European left and will be an active political force capable of implementing its program. Various questions were asked at these meetings, and the invited comrades provided the necessary clarifications. SOTIRAQ GJORDENI

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania sent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic a Note expressing regret and protest over the mistreatment of 26 Albanian citizens who, although they had visas approved by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were forcibly sent back to their homeland without visiting their relatives in France.

Yesterday afternoon, a press conference was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana concerning the forced return from France of 26 Albanian citizens who had gone there on official business or to visit their relatives. Journalists from central news organizations, ATSH, and Radio and Television were in attendance. Ksenofon Krisafi, head of the Legal Bureau at this ministry, said that on June 16, 1991, a number of Albanian citizens arriving on official business or to visit their relatives in France landed at Paris airport on an Air France flight. Under the procedure established by the French side on August 20, 1990, the visas for the above-mentioned citizens had been approved by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; according to the practice specified by the French side, they were to be collected at the airport upon arrival in Paris. After being informed of this approval, the Albanian citizens arrived in Paris. But unfortunately, he continued, instead of being treated normal- [text continues outside the frame] (Continued on page 4)

On Sunday, at the “Partizani” sports palace, the Executive Board of the Political-Patriotic Society “Camëria”, in cooperation with the Tirana branch of the society, organized a solidarity rally in support of the Republic of Kosovo. Members of the society from Tirana and from population centers in the district took part, as did a group of Albanians from Kosovo. At the beginning, the participants stood up and observed a minute of silence to honor the Kosovo martyrs massacred throughout the ages by Serbian chauvinism. The chairman of the Political-Patriotic Society “Camëria”, doc. Abaz Dokaça, said, among other things, that we are organizing this rally to commemorate the first anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Kosovo and of other Albanians living in their own lands in Yugoslavia, against violations of the ri- [text continues outside the frame] (Continued on page 2)

At work in the polishing department of the shoe factory in Gjirokastër. (Photo: N. Xhufka)

- IN THE DEBT OF MORE THAN 400 MILLION DOLLARS, THE FOREIGN-EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT AT THE STATE BANK HAS ALSO “CONTRIBUTED.” - We are now familiar with, and are experiencing, the difficult economic situation our country is going through. There is talk of an economic crisis, a catastrophe, a large budget deficit, and a debt of more than 400 million dollars owed to foreign banks. We do not intend, in this article, to analyze this situation or to offer recommendations on how to overcome it. But we do want to draw attention to one fact. It is said that about 200 million dollars of the debt of more than 400 million dollars were also “contributed” by the activities of the foreign-exchange department (financial transactions in foreign currency between banks) at the General Directorate of the State Bank. Through ignorance?! Through a lack of responsibility?! The functions and activities of this department, established about three years ago and whose operations were launched at considerable expense in foreign currency, should be examined by the relevant authorities. But is it not worrying and intriguing that the head of this department left the country about two months ago (we do not know whether he will return)? Shouldn’t the state oversight bodies shed light on this matter too? Why should the activities of the computerized and modernized foreign-exchange department remain an enigma? If this matter is not properly resolved, whose shoulders will bear the burden of this financial injustice? VEZHIGUESI