Turkey: While Erdogan cares about capitalists' profits, TKP communists say "people first!"

The response of Tayyip Erdogan's AKP government to the COVID-19 pandemic has  primarily focused on the safeguarding of big businesses and monopolies' profitability, criminally neglecting the health and security of the working people. 

Fundamental rights of healthcare workers have been suspended, while thousands of working men and women (at least 811,000 workers between the ages of 18-20) are forced to work without the basic protection measures. 

"This war must be ended!": Turkey's Communist Party (TKP) reacts to the Idlib massacre

At least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and 36 wounded in an airstrike in the Syrian province of Idlib, Turkish officials announced on February 27. The Turkish government has decided to open its southwestern border with Syria for the next 72 hours. 

On this occasion, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has issued a statement on the war waged by Erdogan's government in Syria. 

Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey

The following article, published in "Morning Star" newspaper on January 20th, under the title "Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey", was written by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan:

After failure in Syria, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is busy developing a second version of his neo-Ottoman project, which he first brought onto the political agenda in the second half of the early 2000s.

Turkey's Communist Party slams Erdogan's warmongering plans in Libya

In a statement issued today, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) condemns the warmongering plans of Tayyip Erdogan's government in Libya. 

More specifically, the TKP statement refers to the recent adoption of a bill by the Turkish Parliament which gives the green light to Erdogan to deploy troops in Libya.

TKP called for the cancellation of this recent bill and those which proceeded it and called on all armed forces in the territory of other countries' lands to return to the country.

The full statement published in soL news portal is as follows:

"We will change this city, this country": Mass gathering of TKP in Istanbul

The second of the events organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), calling for "hope, organizing, and celebrating to win 2020" was held yesterday in Istanbul Bostancı.  

It was the second of the events organized in three major cities with the title of the Istanbul Bostanci Showland. The first gathering was held in Izmir on Saturday.

Before the start of the event, resisting workers from many sectors, including Bimeks workers, textile workers, teachers of Doğa schools, construction workers, metal workers, and cafe workers, came to Bostancı Showland by shouting slogans and holding banners.

"To win 2020": Communist Party of Turkey to hold gatherings in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has recently announced that it will hold three major meetings in Turkey's three biggest cities, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Turkey's communists have called on the working people of Turkey to attend the gatherings "calling for hope, organizing, celebrating to win 2020."

The major event in Izmir will be held December 21, in Istanbul on December 22 and in Ankara on January 4.

Scientific symposium on Socialism initiated by the Communist Party (TKP) held in Ankara

Photo: soL news.

An interesting symposium on Socialist future and planning began on Friday 6th December in Ankara, after an initiative by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP). 

The meeting takes place under the auspice of the "Academy of Science and Enlightment" at the premises of the Middle East Technical University (METU), with more than 300 scholars, university students and workers attending the event.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, was among the speakers of the first day. Okuyan pointed out that the only goal of scientific work in capitalism is the maximalization of profits, because its organization is in the hands of monopolies. In socialism, he said, the organization of scientific work will be transformed into a large network of all the working people. 

"Erdogan and the USA are partners in crime in Syria" — Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has released a statement regarding the military offensive into northern Syria, on which Turkey carrying out ground attacks and airstrikes. Shouting "hands off Syria!", TKP says AKP and the United States are partners in crime in Syria for the last eight years. The statement is the following:

"Syria has been suffering for eight years.

About eight years ago, anti-government demonstrations commenced in Syria. These demonstrations soon turned into an armed uprising and clashes in certain cities. Then together with the involvement of foreign forces, the civil war and the occupation of imperialist powers led by the US started.

Turkish communists respond to Donald Trump: "Loser, liar and a tyrant servant of imperialism"

"As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!)”, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, commenting on a possible military operation of the Turkish army in northern Syria. 

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has released a statement regarding the tweet of the President of the United States threatening Turkey. The full statement is as follows:

The 21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) to be hosted in Izmir on 18-20 October

The  Turkish city of Izmir will be the hosting place of the 21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) which will take place on October 18-20, under the shared responsibility of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

As soL portal reports, the theme of the meeting will be “100th Anniversary of the founding of the Communist International: The fight for peace and socialism continues!”

Turkey: Communist Party (TKP) celebrated its 99th anniversary in Istanbul and Izmir

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) started the events celebrating the 99th anniversary with the slogan "We Are Ready".

The first event was held on September 10th in Istanbul with the participation of thousands of TKP members and friends.

The event started with the singing of the anthem Internationale and a video on the history of TKP was showed.

Biz hazırız! Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) to mark its 99th anniversary on September 10

Biz hazırız! (We are ready!). Under this slogan, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) leaves 99 years behind to reach its centennial on September 10.

According to soL portal, this week Boyun Egme ("Do not surrender"), the weekly publication of the party, explains that socialism is contemporary and TKP’s claim to establish an egalitarian social order is realizable.

As declared in the official website of the party, TKP says the party is ready for the struggle of a socialist revolution with the high organizational capacity of workers, intellectuals, and young people.

Kemal Okuyan: Who will be the target of S-400 missiles purchased by AKP government?

The General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan reflects on the issue of Turkey's purchase of S-400 missiles from Russia and the stance of communists on this political crisis:

Can a government develop domestic policy in a completely different direction from its foreign policy? Can a political power that is hostile to its own people defend the interests of the oppressed and the poor in the international arena and take a position against inequalities in the world?

Statement by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) after Istanbul's mayoral re-elections

The Communist Party of Turkey's statement came after the June 23 redo local elections in Istanbul as Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayoral candidate of the opposition, won the polls by a wide margin against his rival, Binali Yıldırım, from the ruling party: 

To our people

The overwhelming victory of Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was elected as the Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality on March 31, against Binali Yıldırım, the candidate of AKP and MHP, in the elections that were unlawfully annulled and repeated does not only mean the invalidation of an attempt to usurp universal suffrage but also has dramatically changed the political balances in Turkey.

Istanbul mayoral re-election: The stance of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections were unlawfully annuled and are going to be repeated on June 23. The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement and clarified its position. 

As early as the announcement of the annulment decision, the Party had declared that Ekrem İmamoğlu had been elected as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and that the TKP candidate for the March 31 elections, Zehra Güner Karaoğlu, would not be nominated again for any repeated elections.

Istanbul election re-run: Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) slams Erdogan's decision

In a statement the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) calls the people of boycott the election re-run for Istanbul Metropolitian Municipality. Read the full statement below: 

"Supreme Election Council's (YSK) decision means taking away people's right to vote!

YSK announced its decision. To be more precise, Erdogan's decision to cancel the Istanbul elections, which were completed on March 31, is now echoed by the YSK. The fact that the decision is now made does not change that it is unlawful and unreasonable.

Interview with Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu - Turkey's communist mayor talks to "Rizospastis"

In its weekend edition (6-7 April), the KKE daily "Rizospastis" published a short interview with Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu, the - supported by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)- newly elected mayor of Dersim (Tunceli Province) in the recent local elections. 

Below you can read a translated version of the interview:

-The CP of Turkey participated in the recent local elections with an alliance and achieved important experiences fighting against bourgeois mechanisms. What do you think about this experience?

"Hope is flourishing in Turkey": TKP reflects on the results of local elections

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement after the local elections, declaring that the party will not allow the two-party system that started to be considered as the normal in Turkey today. 

TKP stated that despite the system seems to be a two-party system in the elections and despite all the difficulties, pressures and restrictions, Turkey's communists have increased their votes radically.

Great victory: Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu becomes Turkey's first communist mayor!

According to soL news portal, Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)’s candidate Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu wins Dersim municipality according to the unofficial reports.

Maçoğlu was previously the mayor of Ovacık, Dersim. During his term of office, he was already known as the ‘communist mayor’.

KKE: "The communists in Turkey and Greece are giving a common struggle"

On the occasion of the March 31, 2019 local elections in Turkey, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) have sent a message of solidarity to the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), stressing the bonds between the communists in both countries and calling  the working classes of Greece and Turkey to struggle together against the exploitative system that brings poverty, unemployment and crisis. 

Read the full message: