Are there good and bad imperialists?

Article by Dimitris Xekalakis*, originally published in Rizospastis, Organ of the CC of the KKE, on Saturday 3/5/2025. Translated by idcommunism.com

Are there good and bad imperialists?

The situation and the developments following Trump's rise to power and the realignment of alliances that is taking place in the camps of imperialism seem to have caused embarrassment and confusion among those who insist on identifying imperialist policy only with the US, cultivating the perception that "capitalist Russia will save us." 

Trade wars and tariffs are the normality of capitalism

Article originally published in Rizospastis, Organ of the CC of the KKE, on Thursday 10/4/2025. Translated by Nikos Mottas.

The fairy tales about a "peaceful" redistribution of the world, which flared up with Trump's election, the bargaining over Ukraine, and the ceasefire in the Middle East, have collapsed with a blast. Those who try to whitewash the imperialists with such lies and hide their irreconcilable rivalries under the carpet are shamelessly provoking the people.

Rizospastis: The bargaining for Ukraine's mineral wealth exposes the imperialist pretexts

The daily newspaper “Rizospastis”, the organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece, refers on its front page of 26 February 2025 to the developments around the imperialist war in Ukraine and states in its headline: “The bargaining for mineral wealth exposes the imperialist pretexts”.

The article goes on to say that “The US-NATO-EU propaganda in defence of ‘democracy’ and ‘Western values’ is collapsing like a house of cards. The role of the ND government is exposed, as well as that of the social-democratic parties (PASOK, SYRIZA) and others who support the country’s involvement in the war. The positions of the KKE are confirmed”.

The US, Greenland, Canada, Panama and the Clay Feet of NATO Propaganda

Article originally published in Rizospastis, Organ of the CC of the KKE, on 11/1/2025. Translated by idcommunism.com:

“Delusional,” “clumsy,” “paranoid.” These are just some of the descriptions that accompany the reports about the statements of the newly elected US President, Donald Trump, on Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Last Tuesday, Trump stated in the press conference that he does not rule out the use of military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, since - as he said - US control of both these areas is “vital” to American national security.

"Popular Front" in France: An old, bankrupt story

Article published in "Rizospastis" daily (here in Greek), Organ of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), on 20 June 2024:

"Popular Front" in France: An old, bankrupt story

"The multi-party cooperation established in France under the title “Popular Front” (Front Populaire) in order- as they say- to put obstacles to the election of a far-right Prime Minister, is presented as an example to follow in our country as well.

Rizospastis: Greek government's participation in EU Red Sea mission serves the interests of Greek capital

Article published in Rizospastis, Organ of the CC of the KKE, on Tuesday 5 March 2024:

"Since last Sunday (3/3), the frigate Hydra has been sailing in the dangerous waters of the Red Sea.

Its participation in the European and Euro-Atlantic naval mission confirms that the bourgeoisie does not hesitate to involve the people in military adventures, even to lead them into war, in order to defend its interests and those of its US-NATO allies.

MEPs of the KKE reject EU Parliament resolution that labels Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism”

Cunning Euroatlantic supporters

Supporting the further escalation of the imperialist conflict in Ukraine,  on 23 November 2022 the European Parliament adopted a resolution characterizing Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism”. Putting forward the well-known “anti-terrorist” pretexts that have been utilized for imperialist interventions around the globe, the European Parliament, in continuation of previous resolutions-warmongering frenzy, attempts to “whitewash” the role of the Euroatlantic bloc in the imperialist conflict in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. It paves the way for further involvement of the EU in the war as well as for new sanctions that add fuel to the fire. 

Ukrainian site "Myrotvorets" targets Greek communists

By Nikos Mottas.

The rise of fascism in Ukraine, which was boosted after the 2014 coup, isn't limited to the persecution of communists, the banning of communist symbols and the prohibition of political parties. For almost eight years now, the Ukrainian state tolerates and fosters the unacceptable and dangerous targeting of persons who are regarded as “enemies” by the right-wing establishment.

In a recent report, “Rizospastis”, the daily newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), refers to the role of “Myrotvorets”, a Kiev-based website that published personal information, including photos and contact details, of people who are considered to be “enemies of Ukraine”. 

KKE: The joint action and coordination of the Communist Parties under pandemic conditions

The following article was published in "Rizospastis", the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), on 23 May 2020.

By Elisaios Vagenas*.

The recent successful tele-conference held by the Communist and Workers’ Parties that cooperate within the framework of the European Communist Initiative, in which 24 parties from many European countries participate, constituted a new form of exchanging opinions and coordination of their efforts.

Turkey and Covid-19: Interview of TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan in "Rizospastis"

In an interview with the daily newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) "Rizospastis", the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan commented on the Covid-19 pandemic, its effects on working-class and TKP's initiatives to protect the health and rights of the workers. Okuyan noted that they have built solidarity networks organized by the district organizations of TKP:

— What is the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic in Turkey? How does the TKP judge the measures of the Erdogan government and the positions of other bourgeois parties?

Myths and reality about HBO's Chernobyl series

The series refer to the explosion that took place on April 26, 1986 in nuclear reactor no 4 of the Chernobyl power plant close to the city of Priyat in northern Ukraine. Although this highly-acclaimed US-British production manages to kindle the viewer's interest by gaining an unexpected impact, it is neither unique nor original. It consists a more "clever" and better elaborated effort to combat the communist ideology through anti-sovietism. 

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?

Mexican Communist leader Pavel Blanco Cabrera's interview in Rizospastis

On the occasion of the 20^th IMCWP which took place in Athens in November, the First Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Mexico (Partido Comunista de Mexico) Pavel Blanco Cabrera talked to “Rizospastis”, the official newspaper of the KKE. 

In the following interesting interview, the Mexican communist leader talks about the situation in his country, the new illusions created by the “left-wing” AMLO government, the tasts of Mexican communists in a large country, a member of G20 and the 2^nd most developed economy of Latin America, with nearly 130 million people and tens of millions of immigrants in the United States:

“Comrades, hold the flag high! Hope lies in the people's struggle!”

It was December 26, 1991 when the red flag with the sickle and hammer was lowered from the Kremlin. 

During these cold days of the Russian winter, the first socialist state in the world - the fatherland of every working man and woman- was bending under the weight of the counterrevolution. The imperialists and their allies- opportunists, social democrats, euro-communists, etc- were talking about the ultimate end of Socialism, the "end of history", the "defeat of marxism" and the triumph of the capitalist system. 

Chinese ambassador in Greece meets with members of Golden Dawn's Neo-Nazis!

Nazis invited at the Chinese Embassy in Athens on December
2017 (left) and December 2018 (right).

It seems that the Embassy of China in Greece has developed some kind of relations with the Neo-Nazi party - actually a criminal organization - of Golden Dawn. 

Since when a country like China is interested in opening dialogue with fascists, fans of Hitler and Mussolini, who are under court investigation for murders, attacks on migrants and workers, as well as other crimes? 

100 YEARS OF KKE - We wrote History. We continue. We shall win!

"We wrote History. 

We continue. We shall win!"

Source: "Rizospastis", 

17-18 November 2018.

"At Hotel 'Piraeus', in the conference room of the union of steamboats engineers, the first socialist congress of Greece commenced yesterday at its first meeting, with the main purpose being the unification of all the existing in Greece socialist groups into a single party, uniformly governed and represented at the International...".

50 years since May 1968: The crucial role of the working class

On the occasion of the 50 years since the events of May 1968 in France, the Organ of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) "Rizospastis" (26-27 May 2018) republished abstracts of an interview with Mitsos Katsianakos (1942-2003), member of the CC of the KKE, who as a young worker had participated actively in the events of 1968. The interview had been published on 17 May 1998. 

Chronicling the facts, Mitsos Katsianakos said to "Rizospastis": "The May of 1968 wasn't just a student uprising and nothing else. We certainly had a student uprising, which began before May, towards the end of April and early May of 1968. Until then we had chases and skirmishes between students and the police in Quarter Latin, at the large university outside of Sorbonne. We had night street fights, until the 10th of May. By that time-and it should be clear to all of us-no one was worried. No one could see that this May would be red, that this May would give a new dimension to the social and political life of France itself.

Declaration of the CC of the KKE on the 100 years of the October Revolution published in 'Rizospastis'

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) presented its declaration on the centennial of the October Socialist Revolution. The declaration was published in the Party's official newspaper 'Rizospastis' on Sunday 21st May. 

According to 902.gr, the publication of the declaration consist the beginning of a multiform political activity of the Party's organisations, as well as those of the Party's Youth (KNE). This activity will include publications by "Synchroni Epochi" publishing house as well as related articles about the 1917 Revolution in 'Rizospastis'. 

The publication of the Central Committee's declaration is part of a long-time Party's effort for the study of the socialist construction and the reasons which led to the counterrevolution. A crucial role in this effort had the Party's 18th Congress (2009) which resulted in conclusions and decisions regarding the 20th century's socialist construction, focusing on the Soviet Union.

The nature of SYRIZA and why it is supported by the bourgeoisie

Photo credit: IDC.

Source: Rizospastis / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

The identification of SYRIZA's political positioning requires first of all the clarification of the relationship between bourgeois politics and the opportunist (political) stream. In respect to its class substance, the opportunist political line is a bourgeois political line, but as it is manifested within the lines of the labour movement. While it is a policy which supports the strategic objectives of the capital in economy and politics, it appears with a socialist cloak and slogans. The fact that the opportunist perceptions objectively have a common "core" with the bourgeois ideology and politics is expressed both in the occasional convergences between opportunist and bourgeois parties as well as in the convertion of opportunist parties into parties of bourgeois governance, especially in times when this is necessary of capitalism.

When an opportunist party is called to manage the general interests of the bourgeois class from governmental posts, then it de facto becomes subject to a series of political, ideological and organisational adjustments that are characterized by the retreat of its opportunist elements and references without, of course, meaning that these do not continue to be utilized for the entrapment of popular forces in the bourgeois pursuits.

The downward spiral of European opportunism has no end

The downward spiral of European opportunism has no end.

Comment published on 'Rizospastis' (24/9/2016), 
Source: inter.kke.gr.

It is well-known that European capital and its union, the EU, have acquired for many years now its "leftwing chorus". Various parties are playing this role, parties that call themselves "progressive" and "leftwing" even some parties that keep a "communist" title, having for many decades now been assimilated into the opportunist, social-democratic current of "Eurocommunism". 

The latter, such as, for example the French Communist Party (PCF) have for many years been divorced from Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, have even abandoned the historic symbols of the communist movement and in the name of the "left' have become the "tail" of social-democracy and also whitewash the capitalist system and the imperialist unions of the EU and NATO. However, they keep the "communist" name and in this way, apart from their misleading activity in their own countries, even participate in the International Meetings of the CPs, seeking to play a similar role. If we can judge from the events of the recent festival of "L'Humanite", the newspaper of the PCF, the downward spiral has no end.