Statement of the Political Bureau of the KKE on the refugee crisis in Greek-Turkish borders

On March 3, 2020, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement regarding the refugee situation in the Greek-Turkish borders and the measures announced by the government. You can read previous statements by the KKE about the issue here and here. 

The statement is the following:

The latest developments, with the entrapment of thousands of refugees and immigrants on the Aegean islands and at the Greek-Turkish border in Evros, confirm once again that the EU and NATO policy that the Greek governments have followed and are fervently adhering to now is, on the one hand, responsible for the dissolution of countries and the uprooting of peoples and on the other,  for the entrapment of uprooted peoples on islands and at borders. This policy has paved the way for Erdogan to try to impose his own objectives, using the refugee situation as a vehicle.

KKE slams Greek government: "Demonstrate your strength to EU and NATO, not to refugees"

Greek riot police forces behind the fences at Kastanies
border crossing, 29 February 2020 EPA/EFE.

After a meeting on Sunday chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece’s Government Council on National Security (KYSEA) decided to step up the level of deterrence to the maximum point at the Greek-Turkish borders in Evros. 

The conservative ND government also decided to suspend new asylum applications, while the presence of army units and police forces across Kastanies border gates has been strengthened. Additionally, Athens has requested from EU border agency FRONTEX to provide additional aid in the protection of the borders.

Refugee flows are a result of the interventions by US-NATO-EU and Turkey in Syria — KKE

During the last 48 hours, the tension in the Greek-Turkish borders in Evros has been escalated, with thousands of refugees and migrants gathering at Kastanies/Pazarkule border gate. “We will no longer keep the doors closed for refugees who want to go to Europe”, a senior Turkish official said as a response to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in Idlib Province, Syria. 

At the same time, the Greek government decided yesterday to suspend border crossing at Kastanies, sending additional riot police forces to the area. In a message, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote: “I want to be clear: no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated”, announcing the increase of border security. 

"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. 

STOP Defender 2020! Protesters marched in Munich against US-NATO-EU imperialists

Demonstrators in the streets of Munich. Photo: 902.gr.

A large anti-imperialist rally took place in the streets of Munich on Saturday where thousands of protesters gave a powerful response to the U.S-NATO-EU imperialist “hawks” participating at the 56th Munich Security Conference.

Under the slogan “Stop the DEFENDER 2020 exercise! Close down NATO bases in Ramstein, Incirlik, Souda and everywhere”, workers and immigrants, members and supporters of the Communist Parties of Greece (KKE) and Turkey (TKP), marched alongside their comrades from the German Communist Party (DKP). 

Greek-Turkish relations and the geopolitical competitions — Remarks by Eliseos Vagenas

The Sectoral Organization of Universities and Research of the Party Organization of Attica of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Regional Students Organization of Athens of the Communist Youth (KNE), in the afternoon of Tuesday the 28th of January, held an event on “The dangerous developments in the Greek-Turkish relations, in the throes of the geopolitical antagonisms and the anti-popular interests” at Panteion University.

Berlin Conference's "wish list" cannot reverse the real causes of Libya conflict — KKE

The Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued today a statement, published on 902 portal, about the conclusion of the Berlin Conference on Libya. 

The statement reads: 

"The Berlin Conference finally has neither brought nor could bring a solution that would ensure peace, stability in Libya and the interests of the Libyan people. After all, the leaders of the Conference themsleves are responsible for the 2011 NATO war and the dissolution of Libya, for the ongoing military conflicts that have brought this country’s people to misery. 

Joint Statement by the Communist Parties of Greece and Turkey on regional developments

Read the joint statement issued by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) regarding the latest regional developments in East Mediterranean as well as the relations between the two countries:

"The CP of Greece and the CP of Turkey with our common position seek to intervene in the dangerous and worrying developments taking place in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, in the Greek-Turkish relations, and caused by social, economic and political forces that want to draw the two peoples in bloody adventures for their own interests.

KKE-TKP: Greek and Turkish Communists join their voices against war and imperialist plans

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), within the context of their common initiatives for the interests of the Greek and Turkish people, have published a joint declaration regarding the dangerous developments in the Greek-Turkish relations and the broader region. 

The declaration has been published on 902 portal. 

Below, you can read some basic parts of the common statement, the full english version of which be published in a new article soon:

KKE MEP: Greek government's support to the US-EU-NATO imperialist plans is dangerous

The MEP of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Kostas Papadakis,  made an intervention in the discussion on the "situation in Iran and Iraq after the recent escalation" at the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, stressing the following: 

"We denounce the US attack on Iraq that led to casualties, including Iranian and Iraqi military officials. We denounce the US plan to declare the Middle East as NATO's territory. The dangerous involvement of the EU - in the framework of escalating competitions for energy control - aims to benefit itself. It invokes the same provocative pretexts of justifying wars such as in Yugoslavia, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan that condemn the peoples to be refugees and in misery. We express our solidarity with the families of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash  for which the Iranian government has a huge responsibility. 

KKE: The Berlin Conference on Libya is not a process for the benefit of the Libyan people

On the occasion of the International Conference on Libya that is taking place in Berlin and the discussion about Greece's non-participation in it, the Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement which was published on 902 portal. 

The statement of the KKE reads the following: 

Joint Statement by Communist and Workers’ Parties condemns U.S attack in the Middle East

In a joint statement, Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world condemn the U.S. attack in Baghdad airport which has led to the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and express solidarity with the people of Iran and Iraq. 

The statement is the following: 

The Communist and Workers’ Parties, denounce the new criminal military attack of the USA on the ground of a foreign country, in the international airport of Iraq, under Trump’s command, which resulted to victims, with officials of Iraq and an Iranian General among them. This constituted a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Iraq.

KKE calls the people to condemn the “criminal” Greek-US agreement on military bases

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on Friday issued a statement in which it sharply criticizes the  conservative government of New Democracy (ND) for "tabling in Parliament, on Christmas Eve, the Greece-US Agreement for expansion of military bases that was signed in October 2018 following the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Athens, in the framework of the 'Strategic Dialogue' began by the SYRIZA government."

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "USA-NATO-EU do not protect Greece's sovereign rights"

“The doctrine which says that if Greece is the good child of NATO, USA, EU will, supposedly, protect its sovereign rights has been completely, demonstrably and historically bankrupt” said the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas during his speech at the Greek Parliament on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Parliament's Plenary regarding the voting rights of Greeks abroad, Koutsoumbas accussed both the New Democracy government, as well as the bourgeois parties of the opposition, that they are all committed to the doctrine of Greece's participation in the imperialist alliances of NATO and the EU. The KKE leader blamed the other political forces that pose a fake dilemma to the Greek people which is “either regression towards Turkey or conflict and military involvement”. This dilemma has been highlighted once again these days due to the “unacceptable agreement between Turkey and Libya”.

Serbian communists blast NATO as an "enemy of peace and progress"

On the occasion of NATO's 70th anniversary, the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ) issued a statement exposing and condemning the murderous role of the imperialist alliance.

The statement reads:

"As of its establishment in 1949, NATO became one of the headquarters of anti-communism and an imperialist alliance aimed to stop the rise of the working class. NATO was responsible for criminal attacks against communists in its member states and was the center of counter-guerilla organizations.

KKE: "NATO's 70-year course has been marked by imperialist wars, interventions, threats and coups"

On the occasion of NATO Summit in London (3-4 December), the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement which was published on 902 portal. 

The statement reads:

"The NATO Summit in London considers the further strengthening of the aggressive planning of the wolf-pack alliance against the people. It accelerates the implementation of the decisions of previous Summits for the creation of ground, air and naval military units, preparing for new imperialist wars. It takes additional steps in the competition with Russia and China. Moreover, the NATO Summit considers the even bigger increase of military spending, while Greece is already paying 4.3 billion per year for (military) equipment intended for NATO needs. 

NATO propaganda infiltrates Greek schools — Imperialist brainwashing targets schoolchildren

Through the project "#WeAreNATO", which was launched in 2017, the imperialist North Atlantic Treaty Organization tries to spread its propaganda to the young generation, especially in universities and schools. A new incident in northern Greece comes to verify that NATO's propaganda infiltrates schools under the pretext of "educational programmes". 

The most recent case is the 3rd Primary School of Pylea-Chortiatis Municipality in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, which was invited by NATO to visit the organization's Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy. 

KKE slams Greek Defense Minister's abhorrent and provocative remarks

In a statement regarding the declarations of Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos, who on Thursday, inaugurating the Conference on Ground Forces at the Evelpidon Military School, reassured the commander of the United States Army Europe, Lieutenant-General Chr. Cavoli that “we will shed our blood and in the future, at the side of the USA”, the Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) noted the following:

Hands Off the people of Syria! KKE condemns Turkey's new military invasion in Syria

In a statement published in 902 portal, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the new invasion of the Turkish armed forces in Syria and expresses solidarity with the people of Syria and the Kurdish population of the region. 

More specifically, the statement reads:

Mitsotakis, Pompeo shake hands, transforming Greece into a vast U.S-NATO base

The second round of the Greece-United States Strategic Dialogue began on Monday in the wake of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Athens, which marked an upgrade of the Defence Agreement with Greece. 

As we have mentioned in previous articles, the Agreement includes the modernization and expansion of the U.S. military installations in Greece.