The Albania-Turkey Friendship Association was inaugurated The Albania-Sweden Friendship Association was created PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA RAMIZ ALIA RECEIVED ATKU LIONI The President of the Republic, Mr. Ramiz Alia, received yesterday at the Presidency Mr. Atku Lioni, chairman of the European Federation of Cultural Associations of Friendship with Turkey, who is in our country at the invitation of the Albania-Turkey Friendship Association. Also taking part in the conversation was Mr. Mahmut Kanak, secretary general of this federation. President Alia warmly welcomed Mr. Atku Lioni and thanked him for the efforts of the Federation and for its interest in the development of cultural and friendship relations among the Balkan countries, as well as for the creation of the Albania-Turkey Association. The chairman of the European Federation, Mr. Atku Lioni, after thanking President Alia for the warm reception, expressed his conviction that the Federation and the newly created Association will make their contribution to strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation among our peoples. The Albania-Turkey Friendship Association was inaugurated Last night in Tirana, the Albania-Turkey Friendship Association was inaugurated. In the keynote speech, the importance of creating this association for the development of cultural and social relations between the two countries was emphasized. The Albania-Sweden Friendship Association was created The Albania-Sweden Friendship Association was created in Tirana. At the inaugural meeting, the need to expand friendship relations and cultural contacts between the two peoples was discussed. At the friendly meeting at the Presidency with Mr. Atku Lioni. (PHOTO: Xh. Xhuka) (ATSH)

Which party do we belong to, democrats? (IMPRESSIONS FROM A SURVEYOR IN THE VILLAGE, SYNO, AND WITH SHKODRA WORKERS) It was in the morning, but not so early as to force people to wake up, and since it was raining, we thought of continuing the conversation with the people outside, but in all the areas we found the workers and cooperative members already on their feet. The first were the men, who were setting off for the village fields, where, it seemed, we would also share lunch and perhaps some thoughts and questions with it. As usual we asked about the party’s basic organization and its chairman, but ordinary people seemed to have already gone through that cycle of questions and conversations and were insisting that we first explain to them what this questionnaire was and what would be done with it? We replaced the official and general aspect with the brief explanation that we wanted to learn how the workers today judged themselves in relation to the decisions of the 10th Congress and how they were implementing them. Well To make the question easier for them, they continued on their own; “Which party do we belong to, or not?” I smiled and answered “exactly.” That was all they needed to turn the conversation into a more lively exchange. “Then come on, let us also tell you how we see it.” Thus the introduction ended. The head of the house we entered had welcomed us, but many others gathered at his door. A fine rain was falling, which made the atmosphere of the conversation warmer. The first to speak were two mature men, who showed themselves quite firm in their judgments. “We are with the party,” said one, “but with which party?” the other interjected. “With the one that emerges from the congress, not the one that sways with the wind.” A few young men standing aside and waiting their turn to speak seemed more timid. Finally, one of them said that they wanted a party that would speak openly to them, that would not deceive them, that would not promise things it cannot do. The others nodded in agreement. The conversation thus took a clearer direction. Someone recalled that if it were not for the congress, many things would have remained as before. Another partly objected, saying that decisions are one thing, but their implementation is another. “But who will implement them?” he asked. “We ourselves,” replied an elderly man with a simplicity that placed everyone present before their responsibility. There it became clear that the main question was no longer only which party they belonged to, but how ready they were to keep that party alive through work, sincerity, and open accounting. In this village, as in other places we have passed through, people speak with less fear than before and with a greater demand for clarification. They ask to be told the truth, even when it is bitter. They want the basic organization of the party not to remain just a name, but to become an everyday presence in their troubles and work. Some focused on the family economy, on prices, on shortages, on the village road; others on justice, on the honesty of cadres, on the need for their voices to be heard. For them, all these were part of the same question: what kind of party do we want and what kind of party are we building? The conversation with the Shkodra workers also showed that there are still hesitations, people who wait, who watch which way the scale tips. But there are also those who believe that the time for indecision must end. “A person must know where they belong,” said one of them, “otherwise neither work nor state can be made.” In these simple sentences there was more weight than in many ready-made formulas. What remained as the strongest impression was that the congress decisions find echo at the grassroots level when they are brought down into the language of everyday life. When people measure them by bread, by sweat, by dignity, and by the future of their children. And precisely there the answer to the question raised is also determined: which party do we belong to? To the one that demands responsibility from us, gives us the right to speak, and unites us in work. (To be continued on page 3)

Opposition is no accident, nor is there any frightening retreat from real action, nor a suspicious, contemptuous, or doubting attitude toward suffering people. On the contrary, today’s piece brings bitter images and facts close to the drama that Kosovo is experiencing. Prishtina is condemned not only by violence, but also by the silence of many. From its streets come grim news, tired faces, slow steps, police at the bends, and eyes shut behind curtains. The large city of students, libraries, work, and the usual bustle now looks like a place where people speak in low voices and walk cautiously. Even when small things are discussed, a shadow of threat enters the words. This is not just a description of a moment. It is a lasting condition. In the streets, in enterprises, in homes, in institutional corridors, the weight of a pressure is felt that seeks to break the will. But the will is not broken so easily. People learn to live with fear without accepting it as fate. Prishtina is condemned, but not defeated. That is the sentence that returns after every conversation with those who come from there. They speak of dismissals from work, raids, impaired education, police notices, and daily surveillance. And yet they also speak of resistance, dignity, and the conviction that rights do not disappear by order. In this sense, the letter from Troy is not just a metaphor. It is a way of saying that a siege may last, but it cannot become normal life. Nor can injustice be called order. Therefore, whoever sees Prishtina only as news does not understand its human drama. There, not just a city is being judged, but the right of a people not to be humiliated. And this judgment is not abstract. It enters daily bread, school desks, office doors, hospitals, and universities. Every such day leaves a trace. THANAS DINO

GJ. KONSTAR[E?] Many people, but above all specialists, must understand that change cannot remain only at the level of slogans. It must affect the personnel, the way of leading, responsibility, and accountability. There are still people who see a post as a shelter and not as a burden of duty. This is exactly where intervention is needed. In many sectors a bad habit has been created: others are always to blame, while merit remains nameless. This way of thinking has harmed work and frustrated people. We cannot move forward with the same habits, with the same indifference, and with the same lack of courage to make decisions. Changing personnel is not done out of anger, nor through formal cleansing. It is done with criteria, with honesty, and with a clear eye on what the time demands. Where there is ability, dedication, and character, the person must be supported; where there is incompetence, ego inflation, and repeated violations, action must be taken without hesitation. In the end, the cadre is not above the work, but in its service. If this simple truth is not accepted, every reform remains half-finished. And the country can no longer afford to wait indefinitely. THANAS DINO

• Tirana, the daily hospitable host of Friendship [?] — • The “Hysen Shapo” people’s center organized an artistic evening dedicated to Albanian-Turkish friendship. • In the premises of the National Historical Museum, an exhibition was opened with books, magazines and publications dedicated to cultural relations. • In the evening, the documentary film “Friendship Beyond Borders” was screened. • As part of Swedish Culture Week, a concert with chamber ensemble pieces was given. (ATSH)

— NEWS FOR ALL NEWSPAPERS — New diplomatic representations have been made in Cairo and talks have been held on regional issues. Press sources report that the meetings discussed developments in the Middle East and their impact on the region. According to the first reports, the Albanian side assessed the need to preserve peace and expand cooperation. In some comments it is noted that the recent contacts represent a positive step toward further rapprochement. Likewise, from Cairo there are reports of meetings with representatives of the media and cultural circles. (ATSH, RAI, TASS?)

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