The opposition in power It has by now become commonplace that after every event or occurrence, after every surprise or disappointment, the opposition names the sole culprits as “the communist officeholders.” They continue to swoop over people’s heads like Banquo’s ghost, becoming the targets of attacks and statements, with a remarkable insistence on creating the impression everywhere that they alone are the ones obstructing things. But the time has now come to pose the right question and give an answer: Which officeholders are we talking about? If the opposition beats its tom-toms over what brought us to this point, to the brink of the destruction of the peace, over orthodox communism, E. Hoxha’s totalitarianism, and, finally, any other communism of this kind in power, that might be natural. But there are some points we would like to underline, taking as an example a city such as Shkodra. Who governs in Shkodra? Of the 15 members of the Pluralist Executive Committee, only 4 are members of the PS. Of more than 20 section chiefs, again only 4 belong to the PS, and one or another is not even a member of it. In the economic enterprises, even in the ironworks, new directors were appointed, many of them, as one of the PD leaders stated, nominated by the latter. In all the neighborhoods, the heads of local government belong to the PD. Most of the heads of local government in the villages, the chair of the district pluralist council, the city mayor, and others also belong to this party. The most important sections are likewise run by them (and quite capably). We must also not forget the other fact: in the 31 March elections, the opposition was no longer the opposition but became the leadership, as was also demonstrated by the mathematical division of local power among the parties. So who is actually governing, and who keeps sounding the alarm at every moment about the communist officeholders? If it is true that officials cannot be called “the government,” then it is right and true that everything wrong should be put right and that those with good sense should be set to work to prevent the collapse of the economy. To call for these things means putting a stick in the wheels of the government, pursuing blind party politics, rejoicing in one’s own misery. The pluralist administration in Shkodra could not do everything either, but at the very least it should not have submitted to everything. It seems that Mr. Spahiu’s humanism as a doctor was not enough to run the economy. It would have been better to appoint someone with greater leadership qualities to that post, perhaps one of those economists who say they know how to read the books. It is difficult to find even a single enterprise in Shkodra that is operating at least as it was six months ago. Work has not merely declined; it has been abandoned altogether. Many enterprises, despite their experience and broad production capacity, may close. Who is obstructing them? The opposition (in fact, the people in power) says: “the communist officeholders.” One cannot hide behind this general phrase; the undeniable fact is that Shkodra’s economy is in this state, and no one is thinking about its recovery. It seems as though, instead of being an effort to stop the downward spiral, the pluralist committee collectively gave it a push. Could something have been done this month? Certainly. But Mr. Spahia, with six and twenty hands, could have protected the enterprises he visited, and done no less than help them during this half-year of chairmanship. The balance is positive in only one area: committee meetings. So many meetings have been held that they would suffice for the life of many committees. But meetings do little to help. To show how closely the chair is connected to the people and their problems, let us recount this incident without comment: At one of the recent meetings of the pluralist committee, the head of the industry section, who was well prepared and serious in his work, the person responsible for the PR, proposed splitting the existing canning factory in two. One part would be headed by director Agim Galica, a PS member, and the other by Nazmi Çelipja, a member of the executive committee’s presidium and of the PD’s Shkodra branch presidium. Mr. Spahia said: “Is there anyone who knows the work in those enterprises? Who is who, where does he work, what is he like?” The committee chair did not know a member of the committee’s presidium. The party presidium member did not know his colleague. But we saw... no comment. We will also pass without comment over the fact that Shkodra has never been worse off than now in its supply of electricity and firewood; the press, instead of writing to subscribers who have paid, sells copies in the streets, and Mr. Spahia consoles others by saying, “It’s been two...” ...months that the newspaper has not been delivered to me.” “I voted against...” “The Achilles’ heel—the land law. But in Shkodra, especially in Shkodra, it did not stop at being an Achilles’ heel: paralysis in its implementation is spreading through the whole body. The land is being left barren. Who is preventing it from being divided, worked, and planted? The opposition says, “the communist officeholders.” What is functioning here in Shkodra? The head of the law office is Mr. Ali—it is known which party he belongs to. The head of agriculture, with a reputation and broad recognition for his many years of work in the countryside, was nominated by the PD. Local government is again in the hands of the PD. So who is obstructing things? Naturally, the land cannot be divided when the committee chair says, “I voted against this law.” It cannot be divided when the district PD conference says that it supports returning the land to its owners. Then one may ask again: who has the confidence to take land under such conditions and get involved in new troubles before the old ones have even been resolved? It is not being divided because the pluralist chair supports this position too; at a meeting with the people, he says: “Give us your votes, give us two-thirds, and if we repeal the law, we will give the land to the owners.” Which farmer is going to start working land when he does not know whether he will have it tomorrow? Who will take land that another, more powerful owner may claim tomorrow, with the state defending him too? Which farmer will say, “It is mine,” when already—and even more so tomorrow—he may be told, “Don’t let me see you here”? If this peasant mentality has anything to do with the slogan “communist officeholders,” that is another matter. But the peasant suffered so much under communism that he had to struggle for the [unclear] of the livestock, for milk, and for fresh bread, so he feels no nostalgia for it. But he suffered even more than that in the time of the landlords, and he does not yearn for them either. It will be difficult for the landlords and those behind them to take the land away from the peasants tomorrow, whatever justification they may use. justification they may use. What will come... what will he feed and support them with? The same could happen with the land left without an owner. What is the police supposed to do? Who is to blame for the firewood fields being attacked and looted, leaving us without fuel today? —The law-enforcement forces. They do not act. —Who is to blame for the humanitarian aid being stolen? —The law-enforcement forces... —Why have prices risen so much at some of the large enterprises? —I don’t know... These questions are repeated at a meeting of the democratic opposition. with its MP. The answers are from MP Spahia. “And where are you, Mr. Chair? We can all observe and note things, but you are the one who must act.” (A response from the audience.) Is that really so? The easiest thing today is to attack the law-enforcement forces, even though they have shortcomings... But in Shkodra, in recent days, they have begun to recover. They have begun to act. Yet whether they act or stand by watching, they are attacked. A notice appears on the city streets saying that everyone who has crossed the two roads since last year must return [unclear]. They will get their money. There is no firewood. Its price may rise. Meanwhile, the wood depot is stocked. Residents gather in front of the committee and protest. The chair calms them down and says the order will be cancelled. Should we believe the chair, or resort to taking the law into our own hands? The latter won. What are the law-enforcement forces supposed to do? For several days, rumors circulate that humanitarian aid stored on the premises of the division is being stolen. It has also begun to be sold. The aid remains there day after day. Suddenly (a real surprise), people rush toward it: workers, soldiers, officers, women, and children. What is the police supposed to do? It is easy to attack the law-enforcement forces today, but extremely difficult to help them. Help is given by setting a concrete example. A wedding is held in the middle of the city because a [unclear] is getting married. More than thirty shots ring out. Mr. Ali is at the wedding, as are other PD MPs. They remain silent. We all pay for the crisis No one is happy when things go badly, regardless of who is in power. Everything weighs on the shared shoulders of the people. No one is happy to hear that party revenues are again being turned into director posts, that the [unclear] and machine guns have been lowered, that meetings turn into quarrels... directors, that the [unclear] and so on... (text cut off/unclear). People have lost their bearings; they see no way out. They were, for example, calmer when they were supplied fairly well for the New Year with some products such as meat or butter, when bread sales returned to normal, when they found a warm welcome at the office of committee secretary Fatos Gjyrcezi and saw their problems addressed by him (he too was elected by the opposition), and when capable, hardworking people such as Vullnet Ademi, Sherafet Kruja, Besnik Bekteshi, and Shyqyri Selhani were running the sections. These opposition-elected representatives are mentioned deliberately; they can and should be entrusted with responsibilities, perhaps even greater ones. People rejoice at everything good that democracy brings. But they also want it to be the democracy they have dreamed of. BEDRI ISLAMI

— Interview with Italian Socialist MP Paolo Cristoni, member of the Executive Committee of the PSI parliamentary group and chair of the group for European Policy. — Question: What message do you bring to the Albanian socialists and their Party at this moment of disagreement and [unclear]? Answer: What brought me here above all was the desire to get to know you and developments at first hand, and to help us cooperate better. The answers are those of its MP. The answers are those of watching, they are attacked. Answer: I have heard all the Albanian socialists strongly call for every kind of help to join the International. I know that the chair of the PS, Fatos Nano, has met Krasinski, the leader of all the socialists, and other leaders of this kind. I believe that this is a legitimate request and should be taken into consideration. After the elections in Albania, we will show through the votes who can join it. Question: An idea has been spread by the opposition in Albania that if the PSSh wins the next elections, Europe will not help Albania. What is your view of this thesis? Answer: The European Economic Community and Italy will help democratic Albania as a sign of respect for the electoral choice that the people themselves will make freely. I believe the Albanian party’s program should be adapted to enable dialogue with Europe’s democratic governments and with the EEC, so that it will be as credible as possible. I like one of your sayings: Conservative gentlemen ought to have said, “You can’t sell bran as flour.” And above all, you can’t sell worthless goods. Question: You have become familiar with the PSSH documents, its program, and the report at the Party’s First National Conference. You have also had many contacts. What can you tell us? Answer: The program presented by Fatos Nano at the PSSH has characteristics similar to those of the PSI and of the countries of Europe. So, viewed by an Italian, it is a good program. Congratulations to the Albanian socialists, whom their people accept and follow for democratization, economic development, and justice among people in this friendly republic, which needs peace and prosperity. Question: This year the PSI celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding, the centenary of a struggle to transform Italy into a modern country. ... Question: In what areas could the province of Modena cooperate with different sectors in Albania, for example...? Answer: dialogue with Italy through your schools, universities, industry, agriculture, and trade. My region in Italy is rich in enterprises, initiative, hard work, and the desire to do something. I think that in trade, crafts, small and medium-sized enterprises, schools, and universities, cooperation with the Albanian regions could be very beneficial. Question: How do you envisage the development of the political struggle in Albania in this At the meeting with comrade Fatos Nano, [unclear] analysis that you presented at the First National Conference, MP Paolo Cristoni said, among other things: “The PSI and the PS of Albania already have close and friendly relations. We have assessed the program of the PS of Albania as a contemporary program in the interests of the nation and of the privileged sectors of Albanian society. The Italian socialists have regarded it as very posi-” into a democratic and modern country. into a democratic and modern country. In what circumstances and from what position does this celebration find you? Answer: Craxi has proposed celebrating the PSI’s centenary in the name of socialist unity, in the name of strengthening the democratic and socialist left in Italy and in the name of our strategic objective. We will fight for this; we will defeat the conservatives and their political servants in the forthcoming elections in Italy. Question: You have been in Albania for several days. What is your impression of the Albanian socialists? What is of greater interest, and how does it compare with the aims of others? They also aspired to their party joining the Socialist International. This matter is being widely criticized for electoral purposes. What procedure is followed for admitting socialist parties to the Socialist International? ...the political and socialist [left] in Italy and socialist parties to the Socialist International? struggle in Albania at this moment, and what would you advise in this regard? Answer: The desire to give the past its due, while building the future without forgetting the suffering and work of honest people; the expansion of social gains, rather than a return to school [?]; and having formulated a program for development within pluralism and democracy—these are the positive aspects. The political struggle still has many issues to clarify. The SShP’s program, in my view, is for the path toward international reformist socialism. What remains is to put this program into practice. Thank you, and may you come back to the pages of our newspaper! Prepared by: FRANO ÇAKA SOKOL GRUDA

Zhelev [?]... [The text of the article in the upper-left column is cut off at the top of the image.] is true that communists are governing in Shkodra, then Mr. Ali Spahia should tell us which basic organization of the Communist Party he belongs to. But something rare is happening: they are in power and also want to be in opposition. This is extremely convenient. They make the law, as happened with the officials (a typical experience of the PP), and they also want to raise their voices as the opposition. But against whom? What is there to petition about, complain about, or get angry about when you yourself are both the leader and the implementer, both Ali and Kadi? One does not work without the other; it is convenient to give orders, and even more convenient to keep on being in opposition. The season of meetings Naturally, from a new pluralist administration, however capable its people may be, and the lack of funds to...

...the chairman has connected with the people and their problems; let us offer a brief comment on this event: At one of the latest Section, a highly qualified and conscientious representative of the PR in his work, proposed that the existing Cannery enterprise be split Galica, a member of the PS, executive committee’s presidium and of the PD’s Shkodër branch presidium. Mr Spahia said about this: “Is there anyone who knows the work at those enterprises? Who are they, what do they do, where do they work, what are they like?” The committee chairman the fact that Shkodër has never been worse off than now in terms of the supply of electricity and firewood; instead of writing about the subscribers who have paid, the press writes about sales on the streets, and Mr Spahia consoles the others by saying that “he too has two...” What should the police do? Who is to blame for the firewood depot being attacked and looted, leaving us without firewood today? “The law-enforcement forces. They don’t at some enterprises?” “I don’t know...” These questions were repeated at a meeting of the democratic opposition.

Continued Our capital, excluding the National Library, has a total of ten libraries spread across different parts of the city, serving thousands of readers. thousands of readers (one fact: Library No. 8 alone serves 35,000 residents). Take a quick look at how the libraries are operating and you will see that most remain closed. In fact, even libraries with 80 percent [unclear]. The problem is that one thing is missing. But even where there is work, and they are inclined to serve readers as well as possible, the necessary facilities for readers are lacking. This is nothing new. This is clear from a conversation with some of their employees and at a library such as No. 3, which has no reading room at all. Although it has a rich collection and many readers, from children and young people to the elderly, it is unable to meet readers’ needs properly in the reading room, not to mention the lack of heating and poor lighting. There are also shortages of reading materials, especially newspapers. You cannot find all the newspapers in circulation at the library, on the pretext that funds are lacking to subscribe to them. It goes without saying that there are other problems here which are treated as if they were very minor. Perhaps that is how it should be. But there are others that the libraries do not pay attention to. On the contrary... “There are many who rack their brains over how to turn libraries into cafés, shops, bars. A rumor is circulating (and it is true) that officials, through unofficial channels, have asked for libraries to be closed. In this case, circumstances have been found and excuses are made; people are being persuaded by every means that keeping libraries open under a market economy is harmful. The desire for commerce (read: money) not only lends support to arguments and fantasies, but also leads to their being put into practice. It is a fact that there has been no official notice about closing the libraries; nevertheless, for 1992 they have no subscriptions to books or newspapers, not a single book... in a newspaper, of course, one of their main functions is to provide their services. Could it be that only we are thinking about closure? That is not true. Thousands of readers would not want this. The difficulties will increase later. The difficulties we have today should not prevent us from looking ahead. There is no reason to destroy what we have built. Let us keep thinking and try to work within a market economy. The new experience being implemented by the National Library in Tirana shows that ways and means can be found for libraries to function regularly even under today’s conditions. When readers become members, they pay a small fee, thereby excluding the storms, thereby excluding... in an unsatisfactory way, which readers also pay here; all readers who pay membership fees make it possible for this to be applied in the city libraries too. Other ways can be found. It only takes a little work and imagination. Culture must live. But this kind of commercialism, which... [?] has no other name than anti-culture. ANILA BISINA

Yesterday, under the direction of Prime Minister Vilson Ahmeti, the Council of Ministers met and approved the draft law “On the Banking System in Albania” and the draft law “On the Bank of Albania.” These two draft laws, which will be submitted to the People’s Assembly for approval, form the basis for reform of the banking system in our country, one of the most important components of Albania’s economic reform. They were prepared with the assistance of specialists from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other foreign experts. The draft law on the banking system establishes the legal basis for setting up a two-tier banking system: a central bank, which will be the Bank of Albania, and a network of other state-owned, joint-stock, cooperative and private banks, with joint capital or wholly foreign capital. The draft law defines the procedure for opening these banks, how they will operate, and their relations with the Bank of Albania. The draft law “On the Bank of Albania” defines the functions of this bank, which is the central bank of the Republic of Albania. Under the provisions of the draft law, the Bank of Albania issues the national currency, regulates the economy’s credit needs, manages foreign currency on the foreign-exchange market, regulates the deposit of required reserves in its accounts by other banks, acts as the government’s fiscal agent, and maintains an orderly market in securities. The Bank of Albania grants licenses for the establishment of other banks in our country. The draft law sets out in detail how the Bank of Albania operates, its principal activities, its relations with other banks in Albania, relations between the Bank and the State, and the duties and powers of its governing bodies, etc. Under the provisions of this draft law, the Bank of Albania, which is elected before the People’s Assembly, thus gains considerable independence from the government, while its role in the economy is strengthened, monetary liberalization [text unclear], improvement of ... [?] Next, the Council of Ministers approved several decisions, including a decision to establish the Polytechnic University of Korçë on the basis of the Agricultural Institute of Korçë. Press and Information Directorate attached to the Council of Ministers

Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Ramiz Alia, having reviewed Law No. 7543, adopted by the People’s Assembly on 24 December 1991 pursuant to Article 28 of the law... Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Ramiz Alia, having reviewed Law No. 7543, adopted by the People’s Assembly on 24 December 1991 pursuant to Article 28 of the law “On the Main Constitutional Provisions,” promulgated the law “On the Turnover Tax on Goods.” Press and Information Office attached to the President of the Republic.

Question: This year the PSI celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding, the centenary of a struggle to transform Italy into a democratic and modern country.

Question: How do you envisage the development of the political struggle in Albania at this moment, and what would you advise in this regard?