Faced with many questions The action that leads to a rise in all prices Social-political costs and tariffs that are not effective The final phase of government seems to have begun with clear and necessary aims: to cope with bursts of inflation and to discourage the impact of rising prices on the population. But is that the essence? Certainly not! The government’s first measures lost their real direction and remained merely economic measures. What stands out with the approval of budget revenues and expenditures is the uncontrolled increase in certain items, accompanied by a clouding of other indicators. The planned revenues of 105 billion lek come from an increase of more than 20 percent compared with last year’s execution. Behind this figure lies the rise in taxes, especially the turnover tax and excise duties, which directly burden the consumer. The rise in prices will be felt in every family. It is clear that covering these costs will not come from a real increase in income, but from limiting consumption and further impoverishing broad layers of society. This means that the budget seeks to be fed by the poverty of the people. The biggest question concerns wage and pension policy. If one speaks of social protection, then why are there no clear measures to index incomes in line with inflation? Why does the main burden of the so-called stabilization fall on people with low incomes? The lack of a clear economic philosophy makes the draft budget appear as a package that takes money from citizens’ pockets without creating incentive mechanisms for production, employment, and development. This is why the draft law on the budget has sparked so much discussion. If there were a truly social orientation, the first step would be to ease the tax burden on basic goods, control monopolies, and support productive sectors. Without these measures, revenue growth remains only a shifting of the crisis onto the people.

The final phase of government seems to have been accompanied by a broad declaration of reforms, but their concrete implementation remains unclear. The budget indicators, the way they are used, and their real effects on citizens have not been sufficiently explained. This lack of transparency feeds many questions and creates uncertainty for the months ahead.

In the assessment made of the draft budget, it is emphasized that changes in the tax system and the increase of certain taxes will inevitably be translated into price rises. For everyday consumer goods this will have a direct impact on the livelihood of families with low incomes. This policy does not serve stability, but rather constrains consumption.

Instead of easing the burden of rising costs through a well-thought-out social policy, the draft budget suggests that social protection will remain partial and ineffective. Low-income families, pensioners, and vulnerable groups will continue to face tariffs that weigh on their daily budgets. This makes the propaganda about social justice negligible.

A warm, clear day, filled with sun and fresh air. An environment that invited you to stay, to talk, to share memories, hopes and worries with others. In this atmosphere, meetings and conversations took place with ordinary people, with citizens who feel the weight of difficulties, but who do not want to give up. Life is not erased by groaning. It demands resilience, work, and faith in tomorrow. This idea is found in the tired but unyielding faces of people who, despite shortages, keep their dignity alive. Korça in these days speaks in a low voice, but with great civic wisdom.

KUÇOVË... In the city streets, in people’s everyday conversations and in the workplace, a quiet fatigue is felt. The many promises have not brought the expected improvements and this has fed disappointment. On the one hand, order and change are demanded, but on the other hand everyday life remains trapped by shortages and uncertainty. This contrast makes the sense of distrust even stronger.

The dwellings where everyday life begins and ends on one side, while hopes for a more orderly and humane market hang on the other, create a distinctive picture of the transition. Small traders, craftsmen, street vendors — all of them try to survive in a poorly defined economy. They are the silent soldiers of the market economy, carrying on their shoulders the burden of the lack of rules and capital.

On 12.1.1995 at 11:00 a.m. at the headquarters of the Socialist Party, a press conference will be held by Mr. Zefi Pali. ATSH press and information, radio-television and diplomatic media invited. Tirana. Press and Information Office of the PS

Meeting of the parliamentary parties