Serbia to sue NATO over damages caused during the 1999 bombing

Belgrade in flames, March 1999.

According to Sputnik International, Serbia has launched a team of lawyers tasked with the preparation of a lawsuit against the imperialist alliance of NATO over the damage it caused to the country during the 1999 bombing. 

The team will include the best lawyers from Serbia, as well as from the EU, Russia, China and India and will be headed by prominent Serbian lawyer Srdjan Aleksic. "We want to bring to trial the NATO states that participated in the aggression against Yugoslavia. These are 20 states that directly or indirectly participated in it. The lawsuits will target directly each of these states," Aleksic told Sputnik Serbia.

KKE blasts Tsipras' government for accomplishing "dirty missions against the people"

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

After the decision of Thursday's Eurogroup, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement:

"Yesterday's Eurogroup welcomed and ratified the antipeople measures of the second review and the 4th memorandum- the largest package of measures, as it characteristically says- confirming that the SYRIZA-ANEL government is the government of "dirty" special missions against the people.

Carolus Wimmer: The Great October Revolution and its Influence on Latin America

The Great October Revolution and its Influence on Latin America.

By Carolus Wimmer* / Source: International Communist Review, Issue 7, 2017.

I) Introduction

The hundredth anniversary of the Great October Revolution comes in the midst of a counteroffensive by imperialism and the forces of reaction against the social and political advances of the working class. In these conditions, it becomes especially important to deliver the objective truth about the first victorious proletarian Revolution, its historic global importance for the world’s worker movement, for the struggles to liberate the oppressed peoples from imperialism, and ultimately for all humanity.

"The Greek people do not owe any debt"- KKE MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos at the EU Parliament

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

"The people do not owe any debt to pay for. The disengagement from the EU, the overthrow of the capital's authority, under workers power is the only way for their survival" underlined Sotiris Zarianopoulos, MEP of the KKE (Communist Party of Greece) during the discussion for the "Deepening of the EMU by 2025" at the European Parliament plenary.

More analytically, Zarianopoulos said:

"As an interstate alliance of the capital, the European Union cannot overcome capitalism's DNA: assymetry of economic devepoment and social exploitation. A part of monopolies and states promote even further the (EUs) unification, under one or many speeds, strengthening of european semesters, connection of the capital's financing with the intensification of antiworkers reforms. They are competing with other parts which develop centrifugal trends, protectionism, expressed through bourgeois euroscepticism. 

Poland: Promoting fascism through anticommunist legislation and history's falsification

In a statement, the Communist Party of Poland (Komunistyczna Partia Polski) denounces the attempts of the Polish state- supported by various institutions and the Catholic church- to falsify history and erase the crimes of fascism from the public memory. 

Changes of street names carried out under the “Decommunisation Act” serves the purpose of falsifying History in the interest of the ruling right wing. Historical policy implemented by the state institutions discriminates, on political grounds, anyone associated with communism, regardless of his/her significance or achievements. The list of toponyms that are to be changed is still expanding and includes not only those directly involved in the communist activity.

Cuba honors the 89th anniversary of Che Guevara’s birth

Source: Granma via Guevaristas.org.

SANTA CLARA– The presence of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara in this city will be remembered with a series of activities this June 14, on the occasion of the 89th anniversary of his birth.

In the early morning, 39 children and young people from two local schools named after the guerrilla leader will carry out the traditional exchange of floral wreaths at the Memorial where his remains and those of his fellow comrades in arms in Bolivia rest, explained Yoel Padrón, head of the Young Communist League’s (UJC) Ideological Department in Villa Clara.

This ceremony will be followed by a march of the people of Santa Clara from Antonio Maceo Park, led by young workers from factories founded by the Heroic Guerrilla in this city.

Workers Against Imperialism: Large anti-NATO rally to be held in Thessaloniki, Greece on June 24th

"WITH THE WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES, FOR A WORLD WITHOUT EXPLOITATION, WARS AND REFUGEES".

Within the framework of the Two-day Balkan Anti-War and Anti-Imperialist Action of Trade Unions, which will take place in Thessaloniki on 24-25 June 2017, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) calls for mass participation in a large anti-imperialist, anti-NATO rally that will be held in Greece's second largest city on Saturday 24th June. Numerous labor centers, workers' unions and branch trade unions from all over the country will gather in Thessaloniki, in order to participate in a demonstration outside the city's NATO headquarters (NRDC-GR) on the 24th of June. 

"Hırsız, katil Erdoğan": Turkish protesters sentenced to imprisonment for... defaming President Erdogan!

According to soL international, 10 protestors- including 3 members of the Turkish Communist Party (TKP)- were sentenced to imprisonment on June 9th for having held a press statement to protest the Islamic State's bomb attack on October 10, 2015 outside Ankara central railway station.

More specifically, some protestors, including members of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), made a press statement in October 2015 in Turkey’s western city of Manisa to protest the Islamic State's bomb attack that killed more than 100 people and wounded many hundreds during the mass rally of political parties and trade unions with the title of “Labor, Peace and Democracy”. The attack became the deadliest terror attack in modern Turkish history. 

London Calling: Britain's Communist Parties react on the outcome of the General Elections

Note: In this blog we are highly critical about Jeremy Corbyn, who we regard as a political representative of social democracy. Mr. Corbyn and his politics have nothing to do with marxism-leninism; on the contrary, we view Corbyn's leadership and the Labour Party in general as a bourgeois political power which, like the Tories, aims to manage the capitalist system. However, despite any disagreements and with full respect to their choice, we present the reactions of the British Communist Parties on the outcome of the recent elections. 

Political Knavery: SYRIZA government crushes people's rights, votes for extra austerity measures

"Butchers" of pensions, salaries, workers rights.
PM Alexis Tsipras (right) with Finance Minister
Euclid Tsakalotos.

With the 153 votes of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government's MPs, Greece’s parliament approved on Friday a handful of additional antipeople austerity measures demanded by creditors in order to unlock more than €7bn of aid and complete a much delayed second review of the so-called bailout progam. 

Once again, the government of Tsipras proves its role in doing the "dirty job" on behalf of the creditors and the big Capital. 

The extra austerity measures, which were added to draft legislation on fishing regulations in an attempt to speed up their passage through parliament, are related to further cuts in pensions and "freezing" of the collective contracts until 2022, taxation issues and electronic auction of properties. 

43rd KNE-Odigitis Festival: The Communist Youth of Greece to honor October Revolution's centennial

KNE-Odigitis Festival (Archive photo).

In Defense of Communism with info from 902.gr.

For more than four decades, the KNE-Odigitis Festival, organised by the Communist Youth of Greece (youth wing of the KKE), consists a major annual cultural and political event. 

This year, the KNE-Odigitis festival will honor the Great Socialist October Revolution, using as a major slogan the lyrics of the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky: "100 years since the October that shocked the world "the future will not come on its own… If we do not also take measures". 

Communist Party of Sweden (SKP): Report on the 37th Congress

Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (SKP)

A brief report on the 37th Congress.

The 37th congress of the Communist Party of Sweden was held May 26th – 28th. The entire congress was characterised by lively discussions and good comradeship. Each congress is a milestone in the development of the party, and the 37th congress was no exception to this.

КОММУНИСТИЧЕСКАЯ ПАРТИЯ ГРЕЦИИ (КПГ) : ПОЛИТИЧЕСКАЯ РЕЗОЛЮЦИЯ 20-го СЪЕЗДА

ПОЛИТИЧЕСКАЯ РЕЗОЛЮЦИЯ 20-го СЪЕЗДА КПГ.

С 30 марта по 2 апреля в штаб-квартире Центрального комитета КПГ прошел 20-й съезд КПГ.

20-й съезд утвердил тезисы ЦК, включающие в себя отчетный доклад о деятельности партии и политические задачи на период до 21-го съезда, приняв во внимание обсуждение и одобрение тезисов общими собраниями первичных партийных организаций (ППО) и конференциями. Также был утвержден доклад ЦК к 20-му съезду и отчетный доклад Центрального комитета экономического контроля (ЦКЭК).

Statement of the CC of the KKE regarding the latest dangerous developments in the Middle East

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

In a statement regarding the latest developments in the Middle East, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses the following:

"Yesterday's US bombings against forces of the Syrian army, combined with the diplomatic crisis in Qatar and today's attack in Iran's Parliament, consist a dangerous escalation of the imperialist interventions and competitions in the region of Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.

Precisely these interventions of the USA-NATO-EU, in their antagonism with other powers in the broader region, such as Russia, are the ones which led to the dismemberment and destabilization of countries, the support of jihadist groups like ISIS, aiming at the control of the natural resources and energy routes of the region.

Youthforoctober.org - A website dedicated to the 1917 October Socialist Revolution

Encouraged by the 13th Meeting of European Communist Youth Organisations held in Istanbul on 24-26 February 2017, the website youthforoctober.org has been prepared in order to inform the world's youth about the political activities honouring the centenary of the Great October Socialist Revolution in many countries of Europe. By publishing the events and manifestation of the contributory European Communist Youth Organisations, we are to strengthen our common struggle.

We call the youth to hold high the flag of October and to join the struggle for socialism!

British Elections: Dear comrades, be aware of social democracy bearing gifts

EDITORIAL

On Saturday 8^th June, the working people of Britain will be called to choose between two versions of bourgeois management: The Conservative Party of Prime Minister Theresa May or the Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn? Despite their existing individual differences regarding the mix of policies, both parties serve the capitalist system. They are both thoroughly bourgeois parties, fully committed to the goal of promoting the profits of the capitalists.

POLITICAL RESOLUTION OF THE 20th CONGRESS OF THE KKE (Full Text)

Source: inter.kke.gr. 

The 20th Congress approved the Theses of the CC which include the report on the party's work and its political tasks until the 21s Congress, taking into account the discussion and their approval by the general assemblies of the Party's Base Organizations (PBOs) and the Conferences. It also approved the report of the CC at the 20th Congress as well as the report of work of the Central Auditing Committee (CAC).The 20th Congress of  the KKE was held from the 30th of March until the 2nd of April 2017 at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Party.

"You shall not pass!": KKE protesters blocked the road to NATO convoy in Greece

A human chain stood against a NATO convoy on Friday afternoon in northern Greece. Hundreds of KKE and KNE members blocked the road at the tolls of Polymilos in Egnatia motorway, close to the city of Kozani, thus denying the passage to a convoy of 22 NATO vehicles coming from Albania. 

Under the slogans "NATO killers go home" and "Neither soil nor water to the murderers of the people", the KKE protesters demanded the return of the convoy back to Albania. Among the participants in the human blockade were the KKE MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos and Sakis Vardalis, KKE MP. 

Spain: PCPE continues the struggle under Secretary General Ástor García

KKE's PB member Giorgios Marinos during
his speech (Source: PCPE Twitter).

Info: Rizospastis / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

On Saturday 20^th May the PCPE (Partido Comunista de los Pueblos de Espana) organised in Madrid an internationalist anti-imperialist political event under the title “No water, no soil, no air to the imperialists”. The major speaker was the Secretary General of the CC of PCPE Astor Garcia, while a greeting message was also delivered by  Marina Gómez, Sec. General of the Collectives of Young Communists.

Representatives of the Communist Parties of Italy (Partito Comunista) and Turkey (TKP) attended the event while the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Mexico Pavel Cabrera sent a recorded greeting message. The KKE was represented by the member of the Political Bureau of the CC Giorgos Marinos and Lefteris Nikolaou.

Alexis Tsipras assures industrialists that the anti-people policy will continue

His committment in implementing new anti-people, anti-workers measures Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed at the Hellenic Federation of Enteprises (SEV) annual general assembly on Wednesday. 

Tsipras delivered a speech during an event marking the 100th anniversary since SEV's foundation where he characterized the capitalist recovery of the economy as a "national goal". 

"The future of the economy for many decades will be judged at this time. We must be united before a goal of national importance," Tsipras said. The demand for sustainable growth and a national plan for radical changes had yet to be fulfilled, he said, while the years of crisis had amply demonstrated that the previous production model had failed. This model would have to be redesigned in order for Greece to exit the crisis and the country was now asking its creditors to meet their own commitments, enabling Greece to access the markets on its own merits.

All-Workers Militant Front (PAME): ITUC and the Goals of the EU-IMF in Greece

ITUC and the Goals of the EU-IMF in Greece.

In a message to its members in Greece, the GSEE-ADEDY, the international mechanism of the multinationals within the trade unions, the ITUC, “criticizes” the IMF-EU that they promote “wrong” policies in Greece and “do not succeed in their goals”.

We inform the ITUC that the IMF-EU-Greek Government have succeeded their goals 100%, because their goal is to destroy workers’ rights, so as to guarantee the profits of the monopolies.

Having no relation with class struggle, nor with the meaning of class exploitation, imperialism, capital, or working class, the ITUC repeats the arguments of the Greek Government of SYRIZA and the nationalist-racist ANEL party, about a “just growth”, which will supposedly will benefit the workers. 

KKE slams Tsipras' government: Greece must be disengaged from imperialist interventions and wars!

The Parliamentary Team of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) submitted a written question about Greece's disengagement from imperialist interventions and wars to the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs. The text of the question is the following:

Source: Rizospastis / Translation: In Defense of Communism *.

"The decisions of the governments of ND and PASOK in the previous years, as well as the ones of the SYRIZA-ANEL government today, for the involvement of Greece in imperialist interventions and wars, have put and continue putting our people in great adventures and dangers.

The 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) declares 2017 as the year of Socialism

Source: soL international.

The Communist Party of Turkey's (TKP) 12th Congress was held in Istanbul on May 27-28 with the slogan, 'to empower the socialist alternative'. The Congress unanimously approved six basic documents, and declared 2017 as 'the year of socialism'. The Congress has also announced that TKP will hold a 'festival of socialism' during the anniversary of the Great October Revolution.

Many important resolutions were taken during the conference sessions, in which 383 delegates from all party organisations participated, including 14 delegates from abroad.

A Masterpiece of Human Intelligence: Quotes from Karl Marx's "Das Kapital" (1867)

More than 150 years since the publication of "Das Kapital" (The Capital)- the most significant book for the world's working class- we remember some basic thoughts written by Karl Marx. 

The commodity is first of all, an external object, a thing which through its qualities satisfies human needs of whatever kind. The nature of these needs, whether they arise, for example, from the stomach, or the imagination, makes no difference. Nor does it matter here how the thing satisfies man's need, whether directly as a means of subsistence, i.e. an object of consumption, or indirectly as a means of production.

• Vol. I, Ch. 1, Section 1, pg. 41.

Every commodity is compelled to chose some other commodity for its equivalent.

• Vol. I, Ch. 1, Section 3, pg. 65.