In an important meeting of the People’s Assembly, on March 30, 1971 , Enver Hoxha strongly criticized the way the people’s councils in the districts of Lezhë and Berat functioned. He demanded the full implementation of powers by local government and accused bureaucracy and bajraktarism of being disconnected from the masses.
Responsibility of higher-level officials
Enver emphasizes that it is not some “great philosophy” for a people’s council to administer a kindergarten or a sports corner, but the problem lies in:
“the district leaders… who underestimate the role of the people’s councils.”
“It’s a shame to have dirt in the village!”
He indignantly recounts the experience of a visit to Petrela:
“I saw the children in the kindergarten eating nothing but dry bread with a white liquid that only resembled milk in color.”
Unemployment, neglect, lack of cleanliness, and the incompetence of the caretakers – were for Hoxha a profound symptom of the dysfunction of grassroots power .
Arrogance, lack of accountability and unspeakable harm
He also attacks a new form of “absurd communism” in cooperatives, where:
“Even those who didn’t have children were required to pay for daycare.”
In this speech, Enver tries to appear as the voice of reason and the “common people”, clashing with the party’s bureaucratic structures.
Speech by a leader at the top, who blames everyone below
This document represents a moment where Hoxha, although an absolute leader, placed himself in a critical position towards the system he himself had set up , to encourage greater implementation of directives and a spirit of “obedience and control”.
