Brexit: Why workers in Britain should vote to leave the EU

Why British workers need a Brexit.

Source: Proletarian (CP of Great Britain, Marxist-Leninist), 

Issue 71, April 2016. 

Leaving the EU would undoubtedly weaken the ability of British, European and even US imperialists to dominate the globe, thus taking our struggle for socialism one small step forward.

“From the standpoint of the economic conditions of imperialism – ie, the export of capital and the division of the world by the ‘advanced’ and ‘civilised’ colonial powers – a United States of Europe, under capitalism, is either impossible or reactionary ...

“Of course, temporary agreements are possible between capitalists and between states. In this sense a United States of Europe is possible as an agreement between the European capitalists ... but to what end? Only for the purpose of jointly suppressing socialism in Europe ... On the present economic basis, ie, under capitalism, a United States of Europe would signify an organisation of reaction.” (On the slogan for a United States of Europe by VI Lenin, 23 August 1915).

On the developments in Brazil - The dilemmas of bourgeois management and the necessity of the anti-capitalist struggle

The people must disentangle themselves from the dilemmas of bourgeois management.

Source: Rizospastis, 22/5/2016 / Reproduced from inter.kke.gr.

The developments in Brazil, the escalation of the political crisis have been at the centre of attention internationally.

This is not strange, as we are talking about the 7th largest economy in the world, the 5th largest country in terms of area and population, and the largest country in the planet's southern hemisphere. A country that in previous years witnessed high levels of capitalist growth, indeed in 2011 it replaced Britain as being the world's 6th largest economy.

It plays a significant role in the framework of the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) as well as in important inter-state capitalist unions (.e.g.Celac, Mercosur/Unasur) that are being promoted in the American continent. We should also bear in mind that since 2004, i.e. in the period of the "progressive" governments, it has been the head of the military intervention in Haiti, which is being carried out under the mantle of the UN.

World Peace Council: Internationalist solidarity meeting held in Athens

ATHENS- With a solidarity event at 'Alkyonis' cinema, the Greek Committee for International Peace and Detente (EEDYE) welcomed the members of the Secretariat of the World Peace Council (WPC) which met in Athens on May 27-28th. The event was attended by Giorgos Marinos, member of the Political Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece, the Cuban ambassador in Greece Mr.Osvaldo Cobacho Martinez, the consul of the Palestinian embassy, as well representatives of various peace committees around the world.

The Secretariat of the World Peace Council met on Friday with major speakers being the WPC President Socorro Gomes and WPC General Secretary Thanasis Pafilis. The meeting was attended by representatives from several countries including Brazil, United States, Cuba, Portugal, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, India, Nepal, South Africa, Congo, Poland, Turkey and Israel.

Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) to hold 10th Congress on June 10-12 in Madrid

Partido Comunista de los Pueblos de España.

Madrid, May 25^th, 2016 

Dear Comrades, 

The Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain holds its 10^th Congress on June 10-12 in Madrid.

Under the slogan “Strenghtening the Party, Organizing the Revolution”, the theses approved by the Central Committee on January 17^th will be debated, as well as the proposal to modify the Party statute. 

The three theses (documents) will deal with the international level of the class struggle, the class struggle in Spain and the proposals for the strengthening and development of PCPE in the period until the next Congress, with the goal of making our Party a better tool for the struggle for Socialist Revolution in Spain. 

Vladimir Putin visits Greece: Russian Monopolies seek to participate in Energy and Transportation privatization deals

Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrived in Athens today, bringing with him numerous businessmen and representatives of Russian monopoly groups, including Gazprom and Rosneft. Mr.Putin is scheduled to meet with the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos as well as with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, while on Saturday he will pay a visit to Mount Athos in northern Greece. 

What is the major purpose of Putin's visit in Greece?

President Putin has clearly stated Moscow's intentions to strengthen Russian economic and geopolitical presense in Greece and the Balkan peninsula. In an article published in 'Kathimerini', Vladimir Putin pointed out his government interest in deepening the Greek-Russian relations, as long as they consist part of the relations between Russia and the EU. 

KKE: No to any imperialist intervention in Libya- No to any participation of Greece in the euroatlantic plans

Statement of the Press Office of KKE regarding the planned imperialist intervention in Libya. Source: 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"What is happening in the Mediterranean?

Is a new imperialist intervention in Libya prepared?

Which is the target of the NATO exercise 'Phoenix Express 2016' in the region?

What is the role of the military base of Souda (Crete)?

What is the purpose of NOTAM (notice to the pilots), which has been issued under the responsibility of the Greek government- along with relating NOTAM of Italy and Malta- for the closing of the airspaces for aircrafts coming from Libya and the reception of NATO aircrafts in the Greek airspace?

PAME protest in Athens: Solidarité avec les Militants Travailleurs de France!

Action of Solidarity with the workers of France.

Source: All-Workers Militant Front (PAME).

ATHENS- On Thursday, May 26, a delegation of PAME (All Workers Militant Front), WFTU (World Federation of Trade Unions) and MAS (Militant Students Front) held a protest at the Embassy of France in Athens.

The action aims to express the Solidarity of the workers and the youth of Greece, and of the WFTU, with the Struggle of the workers of France. In a provocative response, the French Embassy refused to meet with the representatives of the Trade Unions, who were “welcomed” by the Embassy’s Head of Security.

The delegation condemned this behavior of the Embassy, which is in accordance with the intimidation tactics and threats of the French Government, aiming to break the militant spirit of the strikers.

KKE: The anti-people work of the government has been acknowledged and approved via the Eurogroup agreement

Communist Party of Greece: Statement of the Press Office of the KKE on the Eurogroup Agreement, 25.5.2016 / Source: inter.kke.gr.

The anti-people work of the government has been acknowledged and approved via the Eurogroup agreement on the completion of the assessment.The agreement confirms that the downward spiral is endless, as each tranche installment has new anti-people measures as its precondition. Similarly, any "lightening" of the debt, which was not created by the people, will be accompanied by a new raft of measures in the various phases of its discussion, regardless of how the competition between the IMF and sections of the bourgeois classes of the EU will be expressed and regardless of what its result will be.

The lies of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition will unravel quickly, as the laws that have just been passed are not the last difficult measures, as the government officials pretended in the previous period.

Cyprus Elections: AKEL suffers setback losing up to 7% - Fascist Party enters the Parliament

The GS of AKEL A.Kyprianou.

Cyprus's ruling conservatives took the lead in Sunday's general election, results showed, while a far-right party won its first seats in the legislature amid voter disillusionment after a 2013 financial meltdown.

With the voting tally at 100 percent, and an unprecedentedly high abstention rate, the right-wing Democratic Rally party was ahead with 30.6 percent of the vote followed by AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) with 25.6 percent.

Compared to the previous elections of 2011, those two main parties on the Cypriot political scene suffered setbacks. AKEL lost up to seven percentage points while Democratic Rally lost 3.7 percentage points.

By contrast ELAM, a far-right formation forged on the coat-tails of Greece's Neo-Nazi Party of Golden Dawn, scraped past a newly-imposed 3.6 percent electoral threshold and won up to two seats, according to preliminary estimates. Cyprus has an executive system of government and the president is elected separately, but the vote on Sunday was seen as a popularity gauge for President Nicos Anastasiades, whose term expires in 2018.

Russian Communist Workers' Party (RCWP): Condemnation of anti-communism at Donetsk

Source: International Communist Press, 24th May 2016.

The Russian Communist Workers' Party (RCWP) denounced the decision disqualifying the two communist deputies in the legislative organ of the self proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the People's Soviet.

The Russian Communist Workers' Party (RCWP) released a statement on the decision that took the powers of two communist deputies in the legislative organ of the self proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the People's Soviet. The RCWP stated that the decision of Donetsk People's Republic authorities which disqualifies communist deputies in the People's Soviet has no difference than the Kiev regime's anti-communist laws and attacks. In the statement, the RCWP underlined that with this decision the DPR authorities try to prevent communists from participating in the People's Soviet elections in the first place.

The decision is compared with the Ukrainian President Poroshenko's anti-communist steps such as banning the communist party and adopting de-communization laws. The RCWP stated that the attack against communists of DPR only justifies Poroshenko's claims about Donetsk being under the jurisdiction of Kiev and next step would be demolishing the Lenin monuments in DPR cities.

Contemporary Problems of the Class Struggle and the Role of the Communist Party

Fundamental Principles of the 

Revolutionary Workers’ and Communist Movement.

By Dimitris Gontikas* / Source: International Communist Review, Issue 3, 2014.

Every Communist Party which remains fixed on its mission and resolutely focussed on its central task to prepare and organise the working class and to guide its struggle for the fulfilment of its historic mission, is obliged to guide the working class on the basis of the fundamental principle of scientific socialism: “Without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement”.

It is obliged to unrelentingly and consistently defend this principled position from every form of undermining. It must defend this by struggling continuously for the continual correlation between theory and practice.

The history of the revolutionary and labour movements teaches us that neither willpower nor declarations are sufficient to safeguard and secure a revolutionary struggle-line and the existence of the party as a revolutionary vanguard.

There is a necessity not only for secure theoretical foundations but also for the continuous enrichment of theory through the study of the developments, with a heightened class criterion, the study of the strategy of the opponent, the generalization of experience, as well as the open ideological front against every revisionist attempt. Ideological struggle should reach the level of an open break with the current of revisionism and opportunism within its ranks.

Mikis Theodorakis fires against Tsipras' government: "They are destroying the present and future of our country"

Mikis Theodorakis.

In an article published in his personal webpage, legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis attacks the current Greek coalition government of Alexis Tsipras. 

In the beginning of his statement, Theodorakis writes about “a left-right political formation that has the overwhelming electoral and popular minority and obeys to the commands of foreigners destroying the present and future of our country," stressing that everything Tsipras' SYRIZA-ANEL government does, he does it "with no shame and knowing the harm he provokes to our society".

Two days ago, in a radio interview for 'Vima 99.5 FM' the renowned composer, songwriter and veteran politician expressed his dissapointment for the Greek Prime Minister. “I am sorry for Tsipras, because power changes people and the leftist government will take the Left and Greece back” Theodorakis said.

KKE: "The SYRIZA-ANEL government is purposely serving the most brutal Capitalism"

Thanasis Pafilis, KKE MP.

Addressing the Greek Parliament on Saturday, KKE's parliamentary representative Thanasis Pafilis underlined that the reality itselt vindicates what the Communist Party was openly saying to people. He pointed out that the government, the opposition party of New Democracy and the other bourgeois parties serve the common strategy of the EU; a strategy that aims to please the demands of the Capital.

MP Pafilis unleashed an attack against Tsipras' coalition government underlining that the government follows a predicable course as long as it follows the wild capitalist system with it's iron laws. "You say that you save the most brutal Capitalism in order to move to Socialism [...] You made your choice. The fight is about who is going to have the upper hand" Pafilis said and added: "You are in the road of capitalist development, in the road of social injustice, the road of poverty of the people and new profits for the big capital and we are along with the people, in the road of the (system's) overthrow. Because, finally, as it was proved in the past and is also proved now, the social systems doesn't change from within. They change and overturned from peoples' struggle and social revolutions".

Poland government's anti-communist paranoia continues...

"Show me your friends": Andrzej Duda greets the head
of Ukraine's pro-fascist government, Petro Poroshenko.

The right-wing, pro-capitalist government of Poland adds another episode in the series of it's anti-communist paranoia. After the continuous persecutions against communists in the country, after the decision to re-write history by destroying 500 Soviet-era monuments, the government of Andrzej Duda signed a law banning all references to communism! According to the law - signed on May 20th - local authorities will have 12 months to change any names linked to individuals, organisations, events or dates reflecting such political ideologies.

According to the AFP report from Warsaw: "The law specifies that any mention of the regime in place in Poland between 1944 and 1989, when the country was part of the Soviet bloc, would be a no-no. The governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in November after eight years in opposition, is stridently anti-communist. The movement emerged out of the freedom-fighting Solidarity trade union that negotiated a peaceful end to communism in Poland in 1989".

Basic points of the Leninist criticism in relation to the "parliamentary road" to socialism

The theses of the KKE for the 10th annual conference "V.I.Lenin and the contemporary world" which was held on the 22nd of April 2016 in Leningrad (Source: inter.kke.gr).

• The entire history of the political labour movement from the 19th century until today has as its basic arena of controversy the path that should be taken in order to create a classless society.

• Two basic views emerged over time: the opportunist view about the possibility of reforming, "conquering" and utilizing the bourgeois state for socialism and the revolutionary view regarding the need to smash the bourgeois state. Lenin himself set the following demarcation line: "Only he is a Marxist who extends the recognition of the class struggle to the recognition of the dictatorship of the proletariat."

Greek Court's shameful decision in favor of Neo-Nazis! Hands off Sotiris Zarianopoulos!

Sotiris Zarianopoulos.

With an unaccaptable and shameful decision, the single-member First Instance Court of Thessaloniki accepted the lawsuit of Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn's members against KKE MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos. The members of the Nazi Party had sued Zarianopoulos four years ago, in 2012, because in a public statement he referred to them as "Nazis of the criminal Golden Dawn" and "scumbags"! The statement was delivered on the occassion of the October 28th national holiday in 2012, when Zarianopoulos was head of the "Popular Rally"- the KKE-backed party in Thessaloniki City Council. 

The Neo-Nazis sued the militant communist- now member of the European Parliament- asking for 150,000 euros (!!!) per person for "moral damage"! Later, they reduced their demands at 25,000 euros per person. The Thessaloniki First Instance Court finally decided to accept the lawsuit of the Neo-Nazis earlier this month, setting a compensation of 1,500 euros for "moral damage". However, the court decision is appealable.

The above decision consists a provocative action. Especially today, when Giorgos Roupakias, the Golden Dawn member who murdered anti-fascist singer Pavlos Fyssas on September 2013, has been released under conditions. On the same time, despite the government's proclamations for Justice, the court procedure regarding 'Golden Dawn's' criminal activity has been halted. Justice is not class-free. While trade union members are prosecuted for their militant activities and strike organisation, the Neo-Nazi criminals of 'Golden Dawn' rejoice a strange kind of immunity.

Turmoil in France: Hollande's social-democratic government fiercely attacks workers' rights

Do it like Tsipras! The social-democratic government of Francois Hollande has unleashed a horrific attack against working class rights with it's anti-labour 'El-Khomri' law.

220,000 French workers have blocked roadways, burned police cars, and violently rioted in opposition to measures that limit pay and expand poor working conditions.

On Tuesday, French transportation workers took to the streets in a wave of weeklong strikes and protests in opposition to new Brussels-backed 'labor reforms' forced through by executive decree last week, without parliamentary approval.

KKE CC member and MEP Kostas Papadakis to address events in New York

The Communist Party of Greece's member of EU Parliament- also member of the Central Committee- Kostas Papadakis will be the major speaker of an event organised by KKE Friends Club in Astoria, New York. 

The event will take place on Saturday 21st May, at 7:30pm local hour, at Kefalos Society of America (20-41 Steinway, NY111105) in Astoria, having as a major subject the political developments in Greece and in the world as well as the positions of KKE.

Kostas Papadakis is also scheduled to attend the Left Forum, being the speaker in two panels sponsored by the site Marxism-Leninism Today. The panels will take place at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 524 West 59th in Manhattan, New York City. The morning panel is titled "Imperialists Collide: War and Refugees in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East" (Room 1.120, from 10 am to 11.50 am). The afternoon panel is about the "One Year of the SYRIZA-ANEL Government in Greece: The perspective of the Greek Communist Party (KKE)" (Room 1.113, from 3.30pm to 5:50pm).

Communist-affiliated 'Panspoudastiki' gains second place in Greece's student union elections

Thousands of students supported the lists of “Panspoudastiki KS” (PKS) in the student union elections held on the 18^th of May. They struggled alongside the members of KNE (Communist Youth of Greece) in order to shape a positive result of the student union elections. For third consecutive year, "Panspoudastiki" emerges at a national level as the second force in Greece's Universities and Technological Institutes. With more than 20% of the votes, "Panspoudastiki" confirmed it's significant role in the student movement.

According to the results (in 191 from 199 University Schools), "Panspoudastiki" gains 20.46% (10,042 votes). 

DAP-NDFK (of the conservative New Democracy Party) gains 30.27%, PASP (of the social-democratic PASOK) gains 10.76%, EAAK (Ultra-left affiliated with Antarsya Party) receives 8.46% while the SYRIZA-supported "Bloko" faces an electoral disaster with only 0.94%. Other powers of the left (supported by 'Popular Unity' Party) gains 7.43%. 

Interview with Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of Communist Party of Turkey (Rizospastis, 15 May 2016)

COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY

Discussion with Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of the Central Committee.

Source: Rizospastis / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

For the developments in Turkey, the activity of the communists, the difficulties but also the existing potential, we had the opportunity to discuss with comrade Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of the CC of Communist Party, Turkey, and representative of 'Gelenek' magazine in the International Communist Review. 

- What is the political, socio-economic reality in Turkey? We know about the persecutions of party's members and yours personally. How does the Party react?

Turkey passes through a long and deep political crisis which, for the time being, doesn't include the financial crisis, despite the fact that Turkish economy is very fragile, with dissolution of state property and a continuous attack on the working class' rights, while there is a huge leak of wealth and high level of foreigh investors. The government evolves a generalized social attack, which includes the Kurds, the secular forces against religious fundamentalism. And, of course, we the communists are permanently the target. Attacks on our offices occur, (attacks) against our members with the accusation of insulting President Erdogan. I personally face prosecution in three different cases (one began on May 5th, but was re-scheduled for the coming September). The Party has agreed to intensify the offensive political struggle.

- What are the priorities of the Party this period?

'Captain-Yiotis' remembered: Charilaos Florakis, 1914-2005

Nikos Mottas writes about the legendary Greek Communist leader, partisan-fighter in WW2 and Greece's Civil War, long-time (1972-1991) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece, CHARILAOS FLORAKIS.

By Nikos Mottas.

It was the 22^nd of May 2005 when the tireless communist, the militant guerrilla captain, the popular leader, comrade Charilaos Florakis passed away. At 91 years of age, he was completing a life full of struggles; a life given to the ideals of a better world, for the perspective of Socialism and Communism. His life was given to KKE, to the Party he loved and gave everything.

The life and activity of Charilaos Florakis has been core part of KKE's history, of the most glorious- but also difficult- peoples struggles in Greece during WW2 occupation, during the Civil War as well as the country's modern history. Comrade Florakis, with his firm faith in the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, was never absent from Greek working class struggles.

Charilaos Florakis' political activity began in the pre-war decade of 1930s, as a member of the Communist Party's youth wing (OKNE) and later as a student and vigorous worker at the so-called “TTT” (Posts, Telegraphs, Telephone Offices). At an early age, as a teenager, he understood the signs of the ongoing class-struggle in the Greek countryside of '30s:

Introductory speech by the GS of KKE D.Koutsoumbas at the Balkan Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties

«The dangerous role of the EU and ΝΑΤΟ in the Balkans,  the monopoly antagonisms that bring imperialist war, refugees, nationalism and the response of the peoples» (Thessaloniki, 15 May 2016).

Speech by Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the KKE (Source: inter.kke.gr).

Dear comrades,

We thank you for your participation in today's meeting of the Balkan communist and workers parties, as well as for the contribution of all our parties to the maintaining of the Balkan meetings, which provide us with the opportunity at this level as well, at the level of the Balkans, to examine the current developments and to exchange thoughts and experiences from our activity.

Our experience confirms the constantly increasing necessity for the closer collaboration of the CPs, the collective examination of the developments, internationalist solidarity and joint activity and also the necessity to intensify the efforts to form a unified strategy of the communist and workers parties in Balkans and beyond.

We must develop these elements and of course each CP must intensify its efforts to establish solid foundations, to elaborate its political line and strengthen its bonds with the working class, to gain ground inside the labour-people's movement of its country.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "Tsipras and SYRIZA are fighting to save the rotten and exploitative capitalist system"

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of Greece's Communist Party (KKE) unleashed a fierce attack against the SYRIZA government of Alexis Tsipras during a public speech on Sunday in Thessaloniki. Speaking at an open public party-organised event honoring the 80th anniversary of May 1936 workers uprising, Koutsoumbas included a well-pointed attack against the social-democratic reformism and hypocrisy of Prime Minister Tsipras and the SYRIZA-ANEL government. 

Among other things, the GS of the CC of KKE said the following:

"Lately, SYRIZA delivers 'courses' of leftism and radicalism, like Mr.Tsipras did recently in the Parliament by saying, speaking to our Party, that "in today's difficult circumstances, left and radical is not to fantasize a virtual society, which you know that, even if you fight for that, isn't easy to come, but to 'bleed' in order to crerate- even slowly but steadlily- the circumstances when changes for the protection of rights of many will be able to thrive"!!!

But our difference with SYRIZA isn't that we are fighting for another, 'victual' society as Tsipras says, each party with different way.

Thousands participated in Athens' 36th Marathon Peace Rally in memory of Lambrakis

Thousands people of every age took part in the 36th Marathon Peace Rally in Athens, organised by the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE). The marathon march began from the town of Marathon in the early morning of Sunday and ended in front of the Defense Ministry. The participants walked through the Attica towns of Nea Makri, Rafina, Pikermi, Pallini and Agia Paraskevi, before reaching the building of the Ministry. 

The Marathon Peace Rally ended with a speech by Giorgos Lambrakis, Vice-President of EEDYE and son of assassinated politician and peace activist Grigoris Lambrakis, following with a music concert by Giorgos Sarris and his band. 

Below you can see some photos from the Peace Rally (Source: 902.gr).