Anti-imperialist rallies to be organized by the KKE in Athens and Thessaloniki

Under the slogan "No to the NATO-EU plans and Greece's intervention in them" the Party Organisations of the Communist Party of Greece in Attica and Central Macedonia have scheduled large anti-imperialist rallies in Athens and Thessaloniki, on February 27th and March 6th respectively.

The major speaker in both rallies will be the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas who will refer to the current developments in the Balkans, the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, including the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus Issue.

German Communist Party (DKP) calls for "No" to the grand coalition

Following the completion of the negotiations between the SPD and CDU/CSU in Germany, chair of German Communist Party (DKP) Patrik Köbele has shared a press release, regarding the outcome. Köbele called for democrats to reject the grand coalition appeal.

The chair of German Communist Party (DKP) Patrik Köbele commenced his analysis with clarifying that SPD is wanted to have its place in the government. Especially some of the ministerial positions were appointed as if “good bait catching fine fish”, to convince the members of SPD and influence their decision in the upcoming days to get an approval.

Koutsoumbas' statement on the aggression of Turkish government in the Aegean

Regarding the escalation of the Turkish aggression, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"The latest events consist an escalation of the Turkish aggression, after the formalization of Turkey's claims during the recent visit of Erdogan in Greece.

Before the- day before yesterday- collision of the Turkish ship, we had:

- Continuous encirclement of islets by Turkish ships

- Nearly a collision of a Turkish ship with a Greek gunboat. 

- Intervention of Turkish ships during the wreath laying in Imia by the Minister of Defense.

Comment by the KKE on Imia incident and Erdogan's statements

Regarding the incident near the Imia islets in southeastern Aegean and the statements made by Turkish President Erdogan on Greece and Cyprus, the Press Office of the CC of the KKE made the following comment:

"Both the incident in Imia, as well as the statements of Erdogan consists an escalation of the Turkish provocation, thus refuting the environment of complacency that the government cultivated during the visit of the Turkish President in Greece and proving that the participation of neighboring countries in NATO, as it has been supported in the case of FYROM, under no circumstances leads to stability and security for the people". 

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

Communist Youth of Turkey: "NATO is the biggest terrorist organization"

The Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) issued a declaration about their anti-imperialist stance. Criticizing the NATO presence in the region and the ongoing warmonger politics of the Turkish government, the TKG recalls the spectacular protestation against the US Navy 6th Fleet carried out by leftist students 50 years ago and calls for an uncompromising struggle against imperialists and their collaborators.

50 years after the casting of the soldiers of the US Navy 6th Fleet out to the sea by university students in Istanbul, the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) issued a declaration about their anti-imperialist stance. Stressing the ongoing warmonger politics in the region and also theoretical evaluations against imperialism, the statement has as title: "Those who don't target imperialism can't defeat imperialists: While they preach, we will be the ones to throw imperialists into the sea"

KKE is firmly against the dangerous plans of USA-NATO-EU and Greece's involvement in them

Article of the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE

Many international media outlets in the previous period have turned their attention to Greece and the nationalist demonstrations, which were held in Thessalonica and Athens, with the open support of the main right-wing opposition party of ND, as well as of the "Centre Union" and also of the criminal fascist organization "Golden Dawn".With the main slogan "Macedonia is Greece" nationalist and even fascist forces sought to exploit the justified concern of the people about the developments in the relations of our country with FYROM in order to saw he poison of nationalism, jingoism.

Stalin’s Ghost Haunts Capitalism

A Riposte to Stephen Kotkin’s ‘Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929-1941’

By Raj Sahai*.

Source: Marxism-Leninism today.

Princeton University historian Stephen Kotkin is writing a monumental three-volume biography of Joseph Stalin. Kotkin’s is the latest in a large number of books on Stalin, starting with Isaac Deutscher in 1949. So, why yet another book on Stalin?

Kotkin says Stalin represents a “gold standard” in “personal dictatorship”, and more archival documents are now accessible, so now a definitive biography of Stalin can finally be written. He takes Isaac Deutscher’s three-volume biography of Trotsky as a model for his own work. Published in 2015, Kotkin’s first volume was titled ‘Stalin: Paradoxes of Power 1878 - 1928’. Volume 2, published in November 2017, is titled ‘Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929 – 1941’.

Bertolt Brecht / Hanns Eisler- United Front Song

"United Front Song"

Poetry: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Hanns Eisler.

U.S. authorities refused to issue visa to WFTU General Secretary and trade unionist George Mavrikos

George Mavrikos, WFTU General Secretary.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), which represents more than 92 million workers worldwide, publicly denounces the U.S. government which has refused to issue entry visitor visa to the Federation's General Secretary George Mavrikos. 

More specifically, as it has been revealed, the U.S. State Department has classified the WFTU in the "Terrorist Travel" list which refers to terrorist organisations! 

As the statement of the WFTU points out "the stance of the U.S. State Department is anti-democratic and aims to prevent the free trade unionist activity and strengthening of the militant trade unionist movement of the workers in the USA. At the same time it consists an intentional discrimination against the WFTU and its right to exercise its role in the United Nations; a role that exists since 1945". 

Ukraine: Anti-fascists were attacked and robbed by "National Squads" neo-Nazis in Kiev

According to the Communist Party of Ukraine, two members of the Anti-Fascist Committee of Ukraine were attacked and robbed by neo-Nazi thugs affiliated with the "National Squads" / Source: Solidnet. 

Neo-Nazis from the so-called "National Squads" attacked and robbed members of the Anti-Fascist Committee of Ukraine Alexander Kononovich and his brother. They are convinced that they were attacked because of their anti-fascist activities.

Representatives of the "National " kidnapped them February 7 at about 16:00, while Kononovichi received some printed materials (leaflets) from the company in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv. In addition, Alexander claims that they have been robbed with his brother by these attackers that demonstrated IDs of the "National".

Greek soldiers: “Our only enemy is NATO”!

Young Greeks who perform their military service in army camps at the region of Evros, in north eastern Greece, have expressed their firm opposition to the installation of a new NATO base in the port of Alexandroupolis. 

According to letters published at 902.gr portal, soldiers express their anti-imperialist sentiments, as well as their willingness to participate in the, organized by local peace committees, anti-NATO demonstration which is scheduled to take place on Sunday 11 February in the city of Alexandroupolis.

Poland towards fascistization: President Duda signs law that exonerates Polish Nazi collaborators

In a disgraceful effort to rewrite history and under the pretext of "safeguarding the country's image", Poland's President Andrzej Duda confirmed that he will sign into law a highly controversial bill which in fact intends to exonerate the polish collaborators of Nazi forces during WW2. 

The new law will impose prison sentences of up to three years for mentioning the term “Polish death camps” and for suggesting “publicly and against the facts” that the Polish nation or state was complicit in Nazi Germany’s crimes.

Erdogan's "democracy": Turkish government holding nearly 600 people over Syria criticism

According to a soL international report, the AKP government of Tayyip Erdogan says it has detained 573 people for criticizing its offensive in northern Syria since the operation began earlier this month. 

The government last month launched an air and ground offensive, dubbed "Operation Olive Branch", against the Kurdish YPG militant group in Syria's northwestern Afrin region.

An Interior Ministry statement said Monday that 449 people have been detained so far for allegedly engaging in "terror propaganda" on social media, while a further 124 were detained for participating in protests against the military operation into the Syrian Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin.

KKE: Comment regarding the nationalist rally over "Macedonia" name in Athens

Commenting on the "Macedonia" rally* that was held in central Athens on Sunday 4th February, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece pointed out the following:

"Both the speeches and the slogans that dominated in the rally, do not challenge the dangerous NATO plans which the SYRIZA-ANEL government promotes by designating the arsonists of the Balkans as supposed guarantors of peace and cooperation.

They conceal the actual problems, throwing water in the mill of nationalism and irredentism, while at the same time they are fostering the government to present its policy with the mandle of a supposed progressivity.

Declaration of the KKE about the Macedonia naming dispute between Greece and FYROM

Regarding the ongoing developments on the Macedonia name dispute and the negotiations between Greece and FYROM, the Communist Party of Greece issued the following pamphlet-statement.

“The arsonists of the Balkans- NATO, USA, EU- do not want to give a solution for the people's benefit!

The KKE calls the Greek people, who are genuinely concerned about the developments on the FYROM issue, must see the essence of the problem, the “forest” and not the “tree”. They must overcome the disorientation and the false dividing lines that both the government as well those powers who invest on nationalism and irredentism are cultivating.

Egypt: Communist Party calls for a boycott of the presidential elections

In a recent statement, the Egyptian Communist Party's Politburo calls for a boycott of the presidential elections which will take place between 26 and 28 March 2018. 

# - State organs and institutions bear responsibility for turning election into a referendum harming Egypt's reputation. 

# - Governmental, parliamentary and media circles parading to consolidate policies and practices of totalitarian rule. 

75 years since the victory in Stalingrad: Statement by the European Communist Initiative

On the occasion of the 75 years since the victorious outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad, the Secretariat of the European Communist Initiative issued the following statement:

On February 2 75 years will have passed since the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, with the complete victory of the forces of the Red Army and the crushing of the Nazi armies, something that constituted the beginning of the radical change of tide in the war in favour of the USSR and more generally laid the foundations for the Anti-fascist Victory of the Peoples.

Istanbul's new airport: Galley-slave labour conditions and occupational murders for sultan Erdogan's sake!

According to interesting reports by soL international, construction workers held a protest on February 1 at Istanbul’s third airport project site, showing the reaction against the poor working conditions and non-payments. 

Around 1500 thousands of workers protested the working conditions, as their working hours were extended so as to finish the airport project that is still under construction. The workers closed the road to traffic while protesting the project owners.

The protestor workers say their shuttle services are inadequate and the food service is so poor that they have to sleep hungry since their work shifts and shuttle hours are irregular.

Macedonia name dispute: KKE is opposed to FYROM's accession to NATO

The firm opposition of the Communist Party of Greece to NATO's plans in the Balkan region and the role of the imprialist alliance in the Macedonia name dispute, was stated by Nikos Sofianos, member of the Political Bureau of the Party's Central Committee, during an interview on ERT1.

“The negotiations that are currently taking place between Greece and the neighboring country [FYROM] are taking place under the umbrella of NATO and the Americans. These are the ones who accelerate the talks, aiming at the accession of FYROM in NATO” said Sofianos. 

He also added that both the government and other cosmopolitans as well as the organizers of the upcoming nationalist rally (which will take place on Sunday in Athens) “do not disagree with FYROM's accession to NATO, the alliance which is responsible for slaughtering the Balkans, dissolving Yugoslavia, bombing Serbia, creating minorities and utilizing irredentisms”.

Kemal Okuyan- Don’t you understand the difference between patriotism and nationalism?

Kemal Okuyan, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and soL columnist, wrote an article on January 30 regarding the differences between patriotism and nationalism with reference to a famous patriotic Soviet song, 'Song of the Motherland', some lyrics of which were removed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in order to ignore the song's references to the equality of all people under socialism.

Don’t you understand the difference between patriotism and nationalism?

It was 1936. Racism and fascism were rising in Europe. Italy, Germany and Austria surrendered. The fascists declared a "holy war" against the republicans in Spain. Nationalism was polluting everywhere. Discrimination against the black people reached the highest level.

North Korea slams the United States' "government of billionaires" for human rights violations

Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Institute of International Studies Tuesday released the "White Paper on Human Rights Violations in U.S. in 2017".

According to the white paper, soon after being inaugurated as president, Trump filled the important posts of his administration with billionaires, who had "contributed" to his election campaign, and their mouthpieces.

Secretary of State Tillerson, Secretary of Commerce Ross and also the secretaries of Treasury and Defense are all billionaires from conglomerates. The total assets of public servants at the level of deputy secretary and above of the current administration are worth of 14 billion US$.

Free Ahed Tamimi: Statement of the Secretariat of the European Communist Initiative

Statement of the European Communist Initiative Secretariat.

After the decision of the Trump government to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the government of Israel has been emboldened, increasing its aggressiveness against the Palestinian people. The State of Israel intensifies the assassinations of Palestinian demonstrators, repression, arrests, imprisonments, expanding the settlements on Palestinian territory.

Communist Party of Greece: The U.S. ambassador's interview confirmed the dangerous commitments of the government towards USA-NATO

Commenting on U.S. ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt's recent interview on SKAI TV, the Press Office of the CC of the KKE states the following:

"The interview of the ambassador of the USA confirmed that the Greek government has made very dangerous- for the Greek people- commitments which are gradually revealed and is evolving into the best "dealer" of the USA-NATO plans in the region. The aim is to make Greece a "geopolitical hinge" between NATO, EU and the broader region, as it was characteristically said. 

Three years of SYRIZA government in Greece

"Everything was easier with Tsipras and Tsakalotos. It's a completely different situation." This particular statement, made a few days ago by Jeroen Dijsselbloem in his last interview as the head of the Eurogroup, could be an excellent headline in the chapter "Three years of SYRIZA-ANEL governance".

During this time, taking the towel of antipeople policy from ND and PASOK, the SYRIZA-ANEL government has managed in a record time to complete a series of dirty missions for the capital, that the former [governments] left in the middle, earning the credit from the "hawks", as SYRIZA was calling the representatives of the EU and the IMF in the past.