KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Salamina oil spill: Shipowners and the government bear grave responsibility for the environmental disaster

Commenting on the sinking of "Agia Zoni II" tanker, on Saturday, and the subsequent environmental disaster which threatens major beaches in Athens, the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas said the following:

"The shipwreck in Salamina, with the huge disaster in caused to the enivornment and the people of Attica, mirrors their (the government's) development. From one side, the timeless governmental prattles about Piraeus as "entrance gate" and "international junction" and, on the other side, very old ships, "floatting coffins" for the workers, damaged professionals and absence of elementary state infrastructure for the protection of Public Health and the Environment. The government and the shipowners bear grave responsibiities and this crime must not remain unpunished".

Thousands of workers raised their voice against Tsipras government's anti-people policies

Thousands of working people, farmers, unemployed, pensioners and students participated in the large demonstration organised by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Saturday evening. The rally was held on the occasion of the inauguration, by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, of the city's International Trade Fair. 

Representatives of Trade Unions and labor organisations delivered short greeting messages, while the major speech was given by the member of the executive committee of PAME and General Secretary of the Thessaloniki Labour Center Leonidas Stoltidis. 

The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, attended the rally and made the following statement to the Press:

Memorial in honor of the communist guerrilla Democratic Army was unveiled in northern Greece

KKE Gen. Sec. Dimitris Koutsoumbas at the
DSE memorial (Source: 902.gr)

Theotokos, Greece - With the participation of hundreds members, supporters and friends of the Communist Party (KKE) and its youth wing (KNE), as well as numerous locals, the inauguration of the Memorial-museum dedicated to the heroic, communist-backed guerrilla Democratic Army of Greece (1946-1949) took place in the mountain of Gramos, at the northern Greek prefecture of Ioannina. 

The General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas unveiled the memorial, while the major speech was delivered by the member of the CC of the Party Dimitris Gontikas. The names of 438 Democratic Army fighters, natives of the Gramos and Smolikas mountainous area, are inscripted in plagues surrounding the memorial. 

Cyprus Issue: The KKE warns about the dangerous partition "solution" that is being promoted

Source: inter.kke.gr.

On July 11, 2017 a discussion of the leaders of the political parties was held in the Greek parliament regarding the developments in the Cyprus issue and the outcome of the negotiations in Geneva.

During the discussion, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of KKE, underlined that the Cyprus issue is an international problem of invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus by Turkey. It is a problem that bears the stamp of NATO intervention, of the general imperialist plans for the region.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas at KNE anti-imperialist camp: "Our future is not capitalism; it is the new world, Socialism!"

KKE GS D. Koutsoumbas addressing young communists in Ioannina.

A large crowd of young communists, members and friends of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), attended a speech by the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas, yesterday at the city of Ioannina in northern Greece. The speech by the KKE Secretary General marked the closing of the 26th anti-imperialist camp of KNE.

KKE Gen.Secretary D.Koutsoumbas: "People's struggle against capitalism is what brings hope"

Source: inter.kke.gr.

On July 3 2017, a pre-agenda discussion in Parliament was held at the level of the party leaders on the issue of the economy, at the request of the President of ND, K.Mitsotakis, on the occasion of the recent agreement in the Eurogroup regarding the completion of the second "review" of the Greek economy.

As was expected, the Prime minister A.Tsipras, the President of ND K.Mitsotakis and the leaders of the rest of the bourgeois parties attempted to use confrontational language in order to conceal their strategic convergence around the basic demands of capital, swapping accusations about who "undermines" the aims of capital and who serves them better.

In contrast, the GS of the CC of the KKE, D.Koutsoumpas, noted that the real hope for the working class and people is not to be found in the plans and negotiations of the capitalists. Dimitris Koutsoumpas underscored that the biggest memorandum is the capitalist development path itself. He noted that the fairy tales about "just development" in capitalism, which allegedly benefits both the monopolies and the people, are collapsing every day in the workplaces, where the harsh exploitation of the workers is realized.

KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "The Greek people do not believe anymore the fairy tale of Mr.Tsipras"

Visiting the city of Patras, where he met with the city's communist mayor Kostas Peletidis, the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"The Greek people do not believe anymore this oft repeated fairy tale which Mr.Tsipras and his government repeat, that the people's sacrificies finally have results, that development will come and will be for their benefit. The huge sacrifices that the Greek people done, do and will continue doing, under the policies of governments so far, are for the interests of the big capital, of a few monopoly groups. This is the essence of that and our people are kneeling, bleeding and will continue doing so under the lasting memorandums and the new measures that are coming". 

Source: 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The significance of the October Revolution in the era of the transition from capitalism to socialism-communism

By Dimitris Koutsoumbas*.

Source: International Communist Review, Issue 7, 2017.

In 2017 we will honour the 100th anniversary of the Great Socialist Revolution that took place in 1917 in Russia. This event marked and determined the course of millions of people, not just within the geographical confines of the first workers' state in the history of humanity, the USSR, but it also had an impact of every corner of the planet for many decades.

October demonstrates the working class's potential and capacity to implement its historical mission as the only truly revolutionary class, to lead the first attempt to construct socialism-communism.

At the same time, October shows the irreplaceable role of the guiding force of the socialist revolution, the communist party.

Great October demonstrates the enormous strength of proletarian internationalism. Despite the developments after the overthrow of socialism in 1989-1991, the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, with all the theoretical and practical experience and maturity that we have acquired over the years, makes us even more certain and categorical about the timeliness and necessity of socialism-communism.

The SYRIZA government serves capitalist barbarity: KKE MPs denounce the new austerity measures

Dimitris Koutsoumbas (Left) and Thanasis
Pafilis during their Parliament speeches.

Report by In Defense of Communism, info by 902.gr & Rizospastis.

As the Parliament prepares to vote upon the new austerity package (a 4th memorandum agreed by the government, the EU and the creditors), the MPs of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) unleashed an attack against the government's new antipeople measures. 

Speaking at the Parliament, the Secretary General of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas denounced the coalition SYRIZA-ANEL government as the one responsible for the shrinkage of people's standards of living and labour rights. "The new antipeople agreement" said D.Koutsoumbas, "consists a new a 4th memorandum" and pointed out that the new measures "both directly and indirectly support the profitability of business corporations". He also stressed that the policy followed by the government is based on directions which increase the exploitation of the working people and strengthen the concentration of the capital.

D. Koutsoumbas: "The austerity memorandums must be thrown in the trashbin of history"

"Popular uprising everywhere. The memorandums of austerity must be thrown in the trashbin of history" said among other things the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas who attended the large strike demonstration in Athens on May 17. Talking to journalists, Secretary Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"Actually, class war is now in progress, it is a marathon, not a rifle shot in the air. Class war must be a daily and lasting one. The harsh antipeople measures, the 4th memorandum along with the previous memorandums (of austerity) must be thrown in the trashbin of History and for that the only responsible are the Greek people, the labor-popular movement. 

For that reason, our call is: Popular uprising everywhere, not a day or hour must be gone; the struggle doesn't end today or tomorrow but continues. 

KKE GS D. Koutsoumbas: "The SYRIZA government does the 'dirty job' on behalf of the capitalists"

Regarding the recent agreement of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government with the creditors on new harsh antipeople-antiworkers measures, the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"The new agreement of the SYRIZA-ANEL government with the Quartet, which typically and in fact consists a new memorandum, with new harsh measures against employees, pensioners, self-employed people, confirms once more that the government does the "dirty job" on behalf of the capital. 

The new agreement consists a new attack on the people's income, new large cuts in pensions and benefits, new structural measures for the benefit of the monopolies, such as the substantial abolition of the Sunday holiday and the expansion of privatizations.

May Day 2017: Mass participation in PAME's militant rallies in Athens and Thessaloniki (Photos & Videos)

Info from 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

With a massive gathering at Syntagma square and a march towards the U.S. Embassy, thousands of people participated in PAME's May Day rally in Athens. Under the slogan "With the Workers of all Countries for a World without exploitation, wars, refugees", the protesters expressed their commitment to continue the class struggle against the new antipeople measures of the SYRIZA coalition government and the EU. 

The 1st of May rallies by PAME consist a step towards the escalation of struggle against the policy of government-EU-capital which will be expressed with a nationwide strike on May 17th.

KKE Gen. Secretary Koutsoumbas met with Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs in Athens

Info from 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas met this morning with the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla at the Party's headquarters in Perissos, Athens. The meeting took place within the framework of Minister Parrilla's two-day visit in Greece.

After the meeting, Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following remarks:

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: Who has benefited from the EU, the people or the monopolies?

In his article published in the Greek newspaper "Naftemporiki", the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas writes on the 60 years since the foundation of the EEC/EU (Treaty of Rome):

"The anniversary of the 60 years since the foundation of the EEC and later of the EU is celebrated by her founders, the capitalist member-states, the monopolies of the european states. Because the EU is their own creation for their own interests. It is not celebrated by the people of her member-states, because the EU has never been, is not nor can become people's EU. 

KKE: Women's liberation is connected with the struggle for the overthrow of capitalism

With a political and cultural event held at the Party's headquarters in Perissos, Athens on Saturday evening, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) honoured the International Women's Day (8th March). 

Hundreds of women and men of all ages attended the event which had the slogan "With the KKE in the struggle for the equality and the contemporary needs of woman".

The major speaker at the event was the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas. Secretary Koutsoumbas hailed the 8th of March as a "milestone day for the participation of women in the struggle for the equal rights between men and women in labour, education and social life". 

In his address, the KKE GS said that during the 100 years of the KKE there are numerous examples of communist women who have demonstrated extraordinary heroism in their activity. 

Massive rallies in Greece: Thousands of people demonstrated against government-EU policies

With militant rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek cities, thousands of workers, pensioners and young people gave their powerful response to the antipeople policies of the SYRIZA-ANEL government and the EU.

Headed by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), numerous trade unions from the public and private sector, mass organizations, people's committees, self-employed associations, the Federation of Greek Women, the Students' Struggle Front, student unions expressed their their determination to fight against the new measures which come as a result of the so-called Eurogroup's "evaluation" and which will be added to those which have led the country's working class to poverty and misery.

KKE celebrated its 99 years with a large political and cultural event in northern Greece

THESSALONIKI- With a large political and cultural event in the country's second largest city, Thessaloniki, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) honored its 99 years, just a few months before the Party's 20th Congress. The event, organised by the KKE Central Macedonia Party Organisation at Palais des Sports indoor arena, was attended by General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas who delivered a speech.

Secretary D.Koutsoumbas called the working class and the popular strata to join the KKE in a large social alliance against the capitalist system and its political representatives. 

Among other things, Koutsoumbas said: "Today, all those who feel that belong to the Left, who voted for SYRIZA in the previous elections, can find their actual position here, within the lines of the labor-people's movement which has as an aim and direction the struggle against the monopolies, against capitalism, against imperialist war, in alignment with the KKE".

KKE GS Koutsoumbas: "The 21st century will bring the definite overthrow of Capitalism"

KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas speaking
at the European Communist Meeting, Monday 23 January 2017.

"The 21st century will bring the definite and- this time- irreversible overthrow of capitalism and the construction of socialism-communism. After all, the ice has been broken, the road is open, the way has been shown" said Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), during the closure of his speech at the European Communist Meeting which took place today in Brussels.

Refering to the 100 years since the 1917 Great Socialist October Revolution, the KKE General Secretary said among other things: "October proved the capacity and capability of the working class to realize its historic mission as the only really revolutionary class, to lead the cosmogony of building socialism-communism. On the same time, October demonstrates the irreplaceable role of the guidance factor of the socialist revolution, the Communist Party, the immense power of proletarian internationalism".

Statement of the GS of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas on the developments regarding the Cyprus Issue

On Monday 9th of December, within the framework of informational meetings of Greece's Prime Minister with the Parties' leaders regarding the Cyprus negotations, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas met with Alexis Tsipras. After the meeting, the General Secretary made the following statement:

"The Cyprus Issue is an problem of invasion and occupation.

If we want to talk about a negotiation which will lead to a solution, that means first of all the immediate withdrawal of all the occupational forces. That means the abolition of the state of guarantor powers.

Solution means one state and not two states. A single, viable state, with one sovereignty, one nationality, one international personality, a common homeland of Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, without foreign bases, guarantors and protectors.

Today, the negotiation is actually undermined first and foremost by the Turkish leadership, as well by the Turkish-Cypriot one, with the involvement of other powers and big interests, such as the USA, as long as it is a negotiation that in fact takes place under the terms of a dichotomous solution. 

What is needed today is the biggest possible vigilance from the people of Greece and Cyprus".

Source: 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

Solidarity with the just struggle of the Palestinian people - للتضامن مع النضال العادل للشعب الفلسطيني

Source: inter.kke.gr.

The event organized by the Attica Party Organization of the KKE in cooperation with the Palestinian Embassy at the "Alkyonis" cinema on the evening of Sunday 11/12 sent warm militant greetings to the Palestinian people and also sent a message calling for the intensification of internationalist solidarity with them.