(From the pledges of the “Meksi” government) WILL WE WASTE ANOTHER YEAR? - Land distribution to date - 24 percent short of the June 15 target - The target announced by the “Meksi” government for land distribution cannot but be welcomed and appreciated, finally, as a turning point in the PD’s position on this major problem. If we speak of economic reform in the countryside, its foundations are constituted by the distribution of land. That is why this major problem has merited the special attention of parliaments and governments, as well as the interest of public opinion as a whole. This assessment was put into concrete form in the land law and subsequently in the measures for its implementation. Analyses, objectives and demands for this purpose are not only natural but also necessary, with the aim of accelerating the process of restoring the expropriated farmer, so that he may enjoy not only the land title, but above all its produce, the granary, the market and his income. This is why the target announced by Mr. Meksi’s government—to complete land distribution by June 15 of this year—could not by the PD” in its position on this major problem. To support this target, it took the relevant measures. Among the “most important” was the reorganization of groups and committees in every village, the government’s move in the name of their “renewal” and “reform”—those committees and groups which had in fact made it possible for the land law not to be implemented. Let us give a brief account of how this target was achieved. The answer is this: so far, around 76 percent of the land area nationwide has been distributed. If it is said that in recent months the pace of land distribution has multiplied, their concrete result is still 24 percent less than the government’s target for June 15. And while the districts of E’basan, Përmet, Skrapar, Gramsh, Berat, Pogradec and Kolonjë are at 93–98 percent, it is self-evident that the other districts, such as Lezha, Kruja and the northern region in general, are far behind. We have made this comparison not in order to “catch out” the government, although it is entirely normal to demand an account of, and compare, a decision, pledge or task of its. The main aim is to make a concern evident. As the figures show, for a large portion of farming families spring has been wasted, and now, for another portion, a little of the year is being wasted as well; summer is also being lost, and the two together will consume autumn and the entire agricultural production year. This is only about the land, without counting the other major unresolved problems of the countryside. Will we have a second target, and when, one that can actually be achieved, for completing the distribution of land in accordance with the law? … the elections for local government, which will be held on July 26. The decree comes out before the new provisional division or other acts have been issued. Only they know the reason for this haste. But the grassroots bodies and the people bear the consequences. More specifically, as regards Tirana, under Law No. 7579, dated 3.6.1992, the organization of the capital’s municipality is to be governed by the rule: But where is the law? Has a draft been prepared? Has the government examined it? When will the People’s Assembly approve it, before or after the elections? And, finally, will local-government elections in the city of Tirana be held like this, without the people knowing beforehand how the capital’s municipality will be organized? Since this was not thought through earlier, now, yes, they have to hurry. The observer of the laws … papaj told “Zëri i Ri-p…” that “Azem Hajdari has not been censored” (1). There is no end to the strange things happening in these times we live in. A telequiz question? Did they see this interview, perhaps broadcast after midnight, the notorious interview of Mr. Hajdari, whose banning he himself protested in parliament the day before, before leaving that night for the USA? I believe nobody saw it, unless someone perhaps saw it in a dream. Then how does the honorable director of RTV dare to make such a claim? To justify this unambiguous position, even with childish logic, he says: “‘Zëri i Popullit’ came to his (A.H.) defense on the front page, under the headline ‘Television censors Azem Hajdari,’ by exposing the essence of the interview and thereby rendering it invalid.” You could search by candlelight and still not find, sir—not today, when people no longer swallow such nonsense. So look for other arguments when you want to hide the truth. It is not too late yet to broadcast Mr. Hajdari’s interview on TV. That would be your act of self-criticism for submitting to the Democratic Party’s diktat while calling yourself non-partisan and depoliticized. Democracy will punish you for these games you play. THE OBSERVER

- T EPE LENE - - TEPELENE - We are a group of six women from the city of Tepelenë who gathered today with one purpose: to establish the Socialist Women’s Forum of the city. We support the socialist alternative because it expresses and protects our interests as an unprivileged part of society. Therefore, at the foundation of our work we will place learning about and supporting this alternative. At the stage we are going through, our duty as workers, mothers and educators is to support everything good that serves Albania, our children and our interests, and to help and fight against anything contrary to them. Committed to this progress of the country, we will work to ensure that the local-government elections are free and democratic and, naturally, we will campaign for the socialist alternative to win. From the Socialist Women’s Forum of the city of Tepelenë

Let us highlight the fact The Director General of Albanian Radio and Television, Mr. Skënder Bucpapaj, told «Zëri i Rinisë» that «Azem Hajdari has not been censored» (1). The Director General of Albanian Radio and Television, Mr. Skënder Bucpapaj, told «Zëri i Rinisë» no end to the strange things in these times we live in. One wonders, in a televised way: Could they have seen this wide-ranging interview with Mr. Hajdari being broadcast, perhaps after midnight, somewhere where he himself protes- ... [the text is corrupted] an even more inaccurate answer as to why they do not have the courage to broadcast this interview on TV. As for Mr. Hajdari, he did not protest against RTV, but against «Zëri i popullit»...

…supported this objective or took effective and commissions by the government in the name of “renewing” and “reforming” them—those commissions and groups that had in fact … so much in implementing the law on land. Now it is striking that … we have the right to ask … a small fire is burning, and the summer too, both together, and … make the entire proclaimed agricultural year difficult. Only for the land itself, not counting the other major unresolved problems of the village. Will we have—and when will we have—a second achievable objective law? … under the leadership of the Socialist Party of Albania’s deputy chairman, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, the meeting of the General Steering Committee of the SPA was held, attended, in addition to its members, by deputies of the People’s Assembly and secretaries of Party Committees in the districts. Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Ylli Bufi dwelt at length on local-government reform, its reorganization, and so on. In this context, he emphasized that it is important to properly understand the independence gained by local bodies, an independence that will be embodied in the fact that communes and municipalities will administer the assets of their territories, direct economic and social life, etc. Under the law, the independence of these bodies will also be given concrete form in the local budget, which will be created from revenues raised by the commune or municipality. Later in the meeting, Comrade Kastriot Islami dwelt at length on explaining the local-election law and on the particular importance of its being understood by all members and supporters of the Socialist Party, especially members of district steering committees and all those appointed to commissions at the central level, whether as members or observers. The latter, it is important… …Comrade Kastriot stressed, must be appointed within the optimal time limits and be made up of honest and devoted people. Comrade Et’hem Ruka, a member of the Presidium of the SPA General Steering Committee, stressed that under these circumstances, organizing and fully mobilizing the entire Party membership and making it fully effective is of primary importance. Everything must be assessed with the utmost seriousness, stressed Comrade Gramoz Ruçi, Secretary General of the Party’s General Steering Committee, in his remarks, with regard to the selection of candidates at a very delicate moment and (Continued on page 3)

(From the meeting of the General Steering Committee of the SPA). Under the leadership of the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, the meeting of the SPA General Steering Committee was held, attended, in addition to its members, by deputies of the People’s Assembly and secretaries of Party Committees in the districts. (From Under the leadership of the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, the meeting of the SPA General Steering Committee a very delicate moment and (Continued on page 3)

A CONTEMPORARY REFERENCE On 19. 6 1992, without any justification and in an arrogant manner, the chairman of the Executive Committee, Mr. Çenko Brahimi, and the deputy chairman of this Committee notified the socialist director Muharrem Xheilli of his dismissal. The independent trade union of NFP Patos opposes and rejects the unlawful, antidemocratic and illegal interference by the officials in the actions of this committee. Over a very short period, 12 inspections at different levels have been carried out, and … 12 inspections at different levels have been carried out, along with many other illegal and financial actions, in order to take such a measure. To oppose this decision, which was drawn up in the offices of the PD, we will use every form and means of democratic struggle. 1. Written petition at all workplace levels. 2. Notification to the chairman of the Human Rights Commission 3. Forwarding of the work. … If the PD’s armchair-sitters and abusers are going to … … … the chairman of the Executive Committee does not… … As for them, we have orders from above, and whether you like it or not … you must leave. This is a clear expression of class struggle. … we have orders from above concerning them… Independent trade union of NFP, Patos Chairman MUHARREM HOXHA

The People’s Assembly Committee on the Economy, Finance and Social Support returned to the Government the draft law “On State Enterprises,” describing it as a draft law with a tendency toward … excessive centralism, which conflicts with the concepts and the announced program of this Government for moving toward a market economy. From the discussions of most members of this committee, it emerges that the Government has done inadequate and insufficiently studied work, without taking into account the Labour Code, the Civil Code, the Law on Employment Relations, etc. Numerous shortcomings in the details were also pointed out, which, if it were approved in practice, would render the law inapplicable. In the various discussions, committee members called for the Government’s draft law to be… (Continued on page 2)

— Concerning the Hajdari and Pashko affair — This week, the public learned of two new acts in the drama being experienced by the Democratic Party, a drama whose origins lie in the unscrupulous, undemocratic struggle to seize positions after the March 22 elections, in which the PD emerged as the leading party in the highest body of our state power. The entire drama concerning the Hajdari and Pashko affair unfolded within the walls of the parliamentary chamber and within the Democratic Party. It concerns only this party and expresses its crisis. At a time when the people expect Parliament to work intensively on approving the main laws that will regulate relations in the most important areas of political, economic and social activity in our democratic state, the way the PD acted this week leads Parliament’s work into a dead end, expressing the crisis and lack of seriousness in its work. When … the people had pinned their hopes on the PD for living differently, restoring order and calm, for economic life to get moving, for foreign investment to be eliminated, the events of these days in Parliament and within the PD show that this political force is far from truly representing the people’s sufferings and interests. Its victory on March 22 now seems very distant. The slogan used before March 22 was: «We govern, the world helps us». G. PASHKO WARNS Gramoz Pashko tells «Zëri i rinisë»: «Unfortunately, the initiators of it (the PD) have been eliminated or pushed into the background, so I am the first to suffer this misfortune: reform of the reform, and the economy, as far as I can tell, is being directed wrongly; the state is not being established on democratic foundations, and totalitarian actions are on the horizon.» According to Pashko, the essential elements of this event are: 1) Mr. Hajdari has left indefinitely, so it is not known when he will return. 2) Mr. Hajdari is deeply dissatisfied, and his departure itself clearly expresses this dissatisfaction. 3) His departure was compared to that of I. K… in October 1990. The conclusion is this: the hero of democracy, A. Hajdari, is leaving Albania, disillusioned with democracy and with the party to which he belongs. Mr. Pashko’s statement was made at a very inappropriate moment, while Parliament was discussing the adoption of a resolution addressed to the Kosovo parliament, elected on May 24, which was to convene that day in Prishtina and which constituted an event of historic importance. This event called for the full support of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, just as its emergence called for the strongest protest against the Serbian occupiers. But let us step away for a moment from Parliament’s topic of the day and deal with the Hajdari affair. We have no reason not to believe what the chairman of the PD, Mr. Sali Berisha, says: that A. Hajdari has gone to A… ACT ONE: Mr. Hajdari’s departure from Albania Through a statement by Mr. Pashko, Parliament was informed that Mr. Hajdari, a deputy and deputy chairman of the PD, had left for the USA. (Continued on page 2)

The chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Fatos Nano, has received congratulatory messages from ambassadors of various countries accredited in Tirana on the occasion of his reelection to this position: Mr. Fatos Nano, I was pleased to learn of Your election as Chairman of the Socialist Party at its latest Congress. I am convinced that the Socialist Party will benefit from your political experience and will contribute to the development of sisterly and friendly Albania. On this occasion, please accept my sincerest congratulations and best wishes. Respectfully, METIN ORNEKOL Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey Dear Mr. Chairman, On the occasion of your election to the important position of Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, please accept my warm greetings and my best wishes to the Albanian socialists for making their constructive contribution to the democratization of all spheres of social life in your Republic, and to the development of friendly, equal and mutually beneficial relations between the peoples of democratic Russia and democratic Albania. With respect, VIKTOR NERUBAILO Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Albania Dear Comrade Fatos, I was pleased to learn of your reelection to the post of Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania. In expressing my sincere congratulations, I wish you further success for the benefit of the interests of the brotherly Albanian people. ANWAR AKRAA Chargé d’affaires a.i., Embassy of the State of Palestine Mr. Fatos Nano, Please accept our warmest wishes on your election as Chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party. The Libyan Arab People’s Bureau in Tirana takes this opportunity to wish you success in your work for the benefit of the brotherly Albanian people. Respectfully, The Libyan Arab People’s Bureau

Mr. Fatos Nano,

Dear Mr. Chairman,

Dear Comrade Fatos,

Many people now understand that the President and the Government issue many important legislative and subordinate legal acts in a hurry, before they have even got off the plane. It seems as though someone is following them, pushing them from behind. The same thing happened with the decree on the local-government elections to You know the reason for this haste yourselves.