Dimitris Koutsoumbas was re-elected General Secretary of the KKE

The works of the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) were completed today, with the election of the new Central Committee and the Central Audit Committee.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the CC of the Party since 2013, was re-elected in his position. 

The 21st Congress assessed the work of the Central Committee and the Party as a whole from the 20th towards the 21st Congress, examined the basic assessments on the international and domestic economic and political developments of that period, the condition of the labour–people’s movement and the Party’s tasks up until the 22nd Congress. 

Greek Parliament approves monstrous anti-labour bill — "The people will have the last word" says KKE leader

Thousands of people demonstrated on Wednesday June 16th in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras and other big cities denouncing the monstrous omnibus labor law that abolishes the 8-hour working day and attacks trade union rights.

Large strike demonstrations took place in Syntagma Square, downtown Athens, in the morning of Wednesday, as well as in the afternoon, during the voting of the omnibus bill in the Parliament. 

Nationwide strike in Greece: Massive protests against the monstrous labour draft law

With massive demonstrations in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities across Greece, thousands of people sent today a militant message to the government, demanding the immediate repealing of the monstrous draft bill which, among other things, provides the abolition of the 8-hour working day. 

The Unions have declared Thursday 10 June a 24-hour nationwide strike, as a protest against the governmental draft bill which aims to take the labour conditions back to the Middle Ages.  

Protests in Greece: Hands Off the 8-Hour Working Day!

With mass rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major Greek cities on Thursday, thousands of working class people expressed their strong opposition to the government's anti-labour draft law.

Under the slogan “the monstrous draft law must be abolished – hands off the 8-hour working day”, a large demonstration took place in downtown Athens, being the prelude of the nationwide strike that will be held on June 10th. 

Large KKE rallies in Greece sent militant message of struggle

A powerful and militant message against the anti-labour policies of the government was sent by thousands of people who participated in the political rallies organized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major cities on Thusrday afternoon.

In Athens' Syntagma Square, thousands of workers, men and women, self-employed and unemployed people, young students and pensioners, joined their voices against the monstrous anti-labour draft law prepared by the conservative ND government. Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE, delivered a speech, sending the message: “We refuse to become slaves in the 21st century! The monstrous anti-labour law must not be submitted!”. 

KKE condemns criminal Israeli airstrikes in Gaza

In a statement issued today the Communist Party of Greece calls Mitsotakis' ND government to stop the military cooperation with Israel and to proceed to the immediate recognition of the Palestinian state. 

In face of the recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza strip and the escalation of aggression against Palestinians, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement (here in Greek):

Workers’ May Day 2021 in Greece: Militant rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities

With large, militant rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Piraeus and other cities, the working class of Greece honored today, May 6th, the International Worker's Day. 

The class unions organized multi-faceted strike events throughout the country in spite of the ND government decision to move May Day on Tuesday. Thousands of people, workers, young men and women gathered today in Syntagma Square, Athens, in a demonstration organized by dozens of unions that participate in the ranks of the All-Workers’ Militant Front (PAME), thus sending a powerful message against the anti-labour policies of the government. 

Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Armenian Genocide Memorial Day

In a statement for the Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, observed on April 24^th , the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas points out:

"The Armenian people were one of the great and tragic victims of Turkish nationalism and imperialist competitions of the First World War period. 106 years later we remember and honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Requisition of private health sector, mass hirings in public hospitals are necessary, says KKE leader Koutsoumbas

Mass hiring in public hospitals, the immediate requisition of the private health sector and the inclusion of healthcare personnel in the arduous and hazardous jobs social insurance category are the measures that are necessary today, pointed out the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas during a visit today, World Health Day, in Evangelismos hospital in Athens.

Interview of the General Secretary of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas in "Kontra News" newspaper

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), gave an interview in the Sunday edition (14 March 2021) of "Kontra News" newspaper. 

The communist leader refers to the current political situation in Greece, the policy of New Democracy (ND) government during the Pandemic, Greece's Left political forces and the stance of the KKE. 

 Below, you can read a translated version of the interview:

KKE General Secretary Koutsoumbas on U.S. Capitol events: The mirror of a society in deep decay

Commenting on the events in the United States and the storming of Capitol by pro-Trump supporters, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas said:

“The incidents in Washington DC and the planned invasion of far-right, reactionary forces in the Capitol, cannot be solely explained by Trump's idiosyncrasy. It is the mirror of a society in deep decay, a world of massive competitions,  realignments in the correlation of power, crises and impasses, whose consequences are paid by the people and which are now becoming more apparent, even in the most powerful capitalist country in the world.

KKE: Greek government's 2021 state budget is a "monument of unpopularity"

The 2021 state budget submitted by the conservative New Democracy (ND) government is a "monument of unpopularity against the working people", said the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas during a speech in the Parliament. 

Koutsoumbas strongly denounced the policies of the government during the pandemic, adding that the measures announced aim at strengthening the capital at the expense of the workers and people's rights. The KKE General Secretary pointed out that ND, opposition party SYRIZA and all the other bourgeois parties in the parliament are "strategically aligned" in the same policy, despite minor differences. 

EU's stance is a 'green light' for Turkish aggression: Statement by KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas

The outcome of the recent EU Council and its failure to adopt sanctions against Turkey was sharply criticized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). After hours of decisions, the EU leaders proceeded to the usual verbal condemnations of Ankara's aggression in Eastern Mediterranean but deferred decisions on trade tariffs or arms embargo until they have consultations with the US President-elect Joe Biden and his administration. 

In Athens, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

Greece: New orgy of governmental authoritarianism and police repression — Statement by KKE leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas

Almost 20 days after the brutal attack of Greek police against a peaceful KKE rally on November 17th, another orgy of police repression and violence took place earlier today in Athens, on the 12th anniversary of the murder of 15 year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos by a special police officer. 

Grigoropoulos had been murdered by special police officer Epaminondas Korkoneas on December 6, 2008. Korkoneas had been convicted to life sentense. However, in 2019, a court reduced his term to just 13 years and, on the basis of the new legal code introduced by the then SYRIZA government, he was ultimately released from prison on July 2019! 

Lockdown capitalist policies! KKE slams Greek government's handling of the pandemic

Since November 7th Greece has entered a second nationwide lockdown, following a decision by the conservative New Democracy (ND) government. The lockdown is accompanied by tough penalties for violations of the quarantine and non-observance of social distancing. 

Alongside the lockdown, as the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) mentions, the government has committed crimes against the people's health and safety in order to serve the interests of the capital in a number of industry branches. 

KKE General Secretary on U.S. Presidential election: "Trump has lost but the policy that serves imperialism is here"

Joe Biden is officially the President-elect of the United States after beating incumbent President Donald Trump in the November 3rd elections. 

 

Commenting on the outcome of the U.S. Presidential Election, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas pointed out that those who cultivate false expectations about a positive role of Biden's Presidency will be refuted, he reminded the war record of Democratic U.S. Presidents and called for a stronger opposition against American imperialism. 

More specifically, the statement of Dimitris Koutsoumbas is as follows:

Mass protests by trade unions throughout Greece: Struggle against anti-people measures and repression

Thousands of people participated in the nationwide demonstrations organized by trade unions affiliated with PAME in Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek cities on Tuesday 13th October. 

 

Workers, self-employed people, unemployed men and women, students and pensioners sent a powerful message of unyielding collective struggle against anti-worker measures and repression. 

In Athens' Syntagma Square, thousands of protesters demanded protection measures for the people's lifes and rights, including the shielding of hospitals and the public health system, the need for hiring more teachers and cleaning staff in public schools, cheap and safe public transport, policies against unemployment and dismissals, collective agreements and strengthening of the labor rights.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Golden Dawn verdict: "The people must overthrow the system that generates Nazism-Fascism"

The Athens Court of Appeals on Wednesday delivered a historic guilty verdict for the leaders and members of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, finding that they had run Golden Dawn as a criminal organization.  

In a unanimous ruling, Greek justice ruled that Golden Dawn was a criminal organization "wearing the cloak of a political party," in accordance with the indictment in the case.

The court also found the defendant Golden Dawn member, Giorgos Roupakias, guilty of all charges for the murder of anti-fascist musician Pavlos Fyssas and another 15 defendants in the case guilty of acting as accomplices, while acquitting two due to reasonable doubt.

Golden Dawn Trial: "They aren't innocent — Nazis in prison!"

Wednesday 7th October 2020 is going to be a historic day for the world's anti-fascist movement. On that day, at 11 am local hour, the Athens Criminal Appeals Court is going to announce the verdict in the trial of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party – a trial which began in March 2015.

With its ruling the court is called on to decide whether the accused (a total of 69 defendants, including 18 ex-Parliament members) are guilty or not guilty of forming a criminal organization. Based on the evidence presented in the court it is beyond doubt that Golden Dawn – which was elected to the Greek and EU Parliaments in three separate elections - has been a criminal organization that had the legal form of a party enjoying, as a result of that, enhanced constitutional protection.

"Socialism, for life to win!": KNE-Odigitis Festival successfully concludes in Athens

This year’s KNE-Odigitis Festival was a very special one, due to the extraordinary circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) managed to organize a successful festival which, once again, gave a militant message of struggle and hope. 

Under the major slogan “Socialism, for us to breathe freely, for life to win”, the three-day events of the 46th KNE-Odigitis festival at the University Campus of Zografou in Athens concluded with a speech by the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas and a concert dedicated to composer Thanos Mikroutsikos.