Connolly Youth Movement on Irish Elections: The fight for a socialist Ireland continues

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald celebrates
with her supporters in Dublin on February 9, 2020.

The following article, published on the website of the Connolly Youth Movement (CYM) on February 10, provides a concise first assessment of the Irish elections results from a marxist-leninist viewpoint: 

The Meaning of 'Power' in a Post-GE2020 Ireland

As we make our way back to work or college this week, no new dawn falls on Ireland. It still holds dominion status to the interests of finance capitalism, vulture funds and an unregulated banking system backed up by an unregulated and unaccountable parliament.  

European Parliament: Communist MEP Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos slams U.S Mideast plan

Speaking at the Plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) MEP Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos denounced the recent U.S plan for the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

For the same issue, the E.U High Commissioner on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell characterized the plan as “positive” and a “starting point for negotiations”. 

EU migration policy turns Greek islands into prisons for refugees — Statement by KKE

The Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) sharply criticized New Democracy (ND) government’s legislative act which introduces requisition of land and facilities for migration purposes. 

Stelios Petsas, the governmental spokesperson, announced on Monday that the current administration will issue a Legislative Act by which the state will be able to proceed with the requisition of public and private properties where new migrant camps (hotspots) will be constructed.

Cuban revolutionary, Major General Efigenio Ameijeiras Delgado, died at 88

Cuban revolutionary, General Efigenio Ameijeiras Delgado, has died at the age of 88, Granma newspaper reported on Monday 10 February.

Efigenio was born on September 21, 1931, in Chaparra, Oriente Region, Cuba.

From an early age he identified with the youth of the July 26 Movement, actively participating in actions against the dictatorial regime of Fulgencio Batista. Following his persecution by the Batista regime he traveled to Mexico, where he joined the preparations of Fidel Castro's revolutionary group. 

PAME calls for strike on February 18th against ND government's Social Security reforms

A nationwide General Strike in both state and private sector has been announced by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) for February 18th, as a response to the anti-people reforms of the Greek government on Social Security and Pensions. 

In a statement addressed to workers, pensioners, farmers, self-employed people and students, PAME calls for mass participation in February 18th’s strike. 

“Social Security has to do with our lives. The unacceptable anti-Social Security draft law must be withdrawn!” is the headline of the call which reads:

International Anti-Imperialist Conference to be held on March 28-29 in Cyprus

The World Peace Council (WPC), the Cyprus Peace Council and the Coalition Against U.S. Military Bases organize an International Anti-Imperialist Conference which will be held on March 28-29, 2020 in Larnaca, Cyprus. 

The call for the Conference is the following:

Since the dismantling of the USSR and the Socialist Camp in Eastern Europe, and the emergence of the so-called “Unipolar World,” U.S. imperialism and its EU and NATO allies have embarked on a global project of “Full-Spectrum Dominance” with the objective of complete domination of the whole globe.

Ireland Elections: A Communist Viewpoint

Today, Saturday 8 February 2020, it's election day in Ireland. Voters are going to the polls after a tumultuous general election campaign. On this occasion we republish an article from the latest issue of Socialist Voice, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Ireland. 

There are no shortcuts

by Eugene McCartan

Elections come and go; but there are no shortcuts for what our class needs to secure.

Deal of the Century? Communist and Workers' parties condemn Trump's plan on Palestine

Communist and Workers' Parties from across the world condemn the recently announced U.S. government's "peace plan" for the Middle East which has been described as the "Deal of the Century". 

The plan was presented by U.S. President Donald Trump during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on January 28th. 

KKE denounces the persecution against Chilean communist deputy Hugo Gutiérrez

Communist Party of Chile deputy Hugo Gutiérrez.

In a protest letter addressed to the Chilean Embassy in Athens, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) denounces the persecution of Hugo Gutiérrez, deputy of the Communist Party of Chile (PCC). 

The KKE letter, signed by Politburo member and MP Giorgos Marinos, expresses the Party’s condemnation of the anti-people policy of Sebastián Piñera and denounces the state repression against the recent huge mobilizations of the people of Chile. 

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.

Left parties in India call for nationwide protests against Modi government's policies

Five Left parties in India - CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), AIFB and RSP - issued on February 4th a statement titled "Nationwide Protests Against Anti-People Budget February 12 to 18". The statement reads:

The Left parties will conduct a nationwide protest against the wide range of anti-people policies contained in this year's budget which will further squeeze the livelihood conditions of the vast majority of our people. The Modi government has destroyed the Indian economy, imposing unprecedented burdens on the people. At the same time, it has been giving concession after concession to the rich and the corporates, which has widened economic inequalities amongst our people to levels never seen ever before in independent India.

Interview of the General Secretary of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas in "EfSyn" newspaper

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), gave a comprehensive interview in the weekend edition (1-2 February) of the "Efimerida ton Syntakton" (EfSyn) newspaper. 

The KKE leader refered to various interesting issues, including Greece's domestic political matters, the country's relations with neighboring Turkey, the sinful role of social democracy and the stance of the KKE towards cooperation governments. 

Below, you can read a translated version of the interview:

Vietnam's Communist Party marks its 90th founding anniversary

Today, February 3, 2020, the entire Party, people and army of Vietnam proudly celebrate the 90th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam - the Party which was founded, led and trained by the great President Ho Chi Minh. 

Over the past 90 years, the Party has led the nation’s revolution to overcome all hardships and challenges and gain many victories, turning Vietnam from an unknown country on the world map into a nation with prestigious position in the international arena.

Transnistria: Solidarity with communist leader Oleg Khorzhan

In a statement issued on January 31st the Communist Party of Ukraine appeals to Communist and Workers' Parties to express their support with Oleg Khorzan, Communist Party leader in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, who has been illegally detained and imprisoned by the authorities. 

The full statement of the Communist Party of Ukraine, in english and russian, is the following:

STOP THE ARBITRARINESS OF THE TRANSNISTRIAN REGIME!

FREEDOM TO COMMUNIST OLEG KHORZHAN - PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE!

KKE condemns the provocative racist rant of neo-Nazi MEP Lagos

The EU Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the racist rant of the Nazi MEP – former Golden Dawn MP – Yannis Lagos who ripped a copy of the Turkish flag during his speech in the EU Parliament. 

“This provocation is aimed against both the Greek and Turkish people and is linked to dirty plans that the nationalists always serve” writes a statement published on KKE’s 902 portal. 

Israeli Left and Peace groups denounce Trump-Netanyahu "deal of the century"

Israeli left alliance Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), alongside peace movements, denounce the recently announced by U.S President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu "peace plan" for Palestine. Read below a report including statements by Hadash leader Ayman Odeh and peace activists regarding the so-called "Deal of the Century":

Hadash together with Israeli peace movements will be holding a demonstration against US President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” in Dizengoff Square in central Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, February 1, at 7 pm.

Thousands of protesters in Greece raised their voice against the military deal with the U.S.

Thousands of people, workers, men and women of every age, participated on Thursday afternoon in demonstrations across Greece, against the Greece-U.S. “defense cooperation agreement” which upgrades and extends the american military bases in the country. The rallies were organized by the Greek Committee for International Detente and Peace (EEDYE), the Federation of Greek Women (OGE), Workers' Unions and Associations, Students' Unions and other groups of the people's movement.   

KKE in EU Parliament: On the 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army

On the occasion of the event in the European Parliament regarding the Holocaust and the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, the Europarliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement that was published on 902 portal. 

The statement reads:

"The memory of the Holocaust, one of the most atrocious crimes of Nazism, is an eternal tribute to its victims, to all those who alongside Jews suffered in Nazi crematoriums: the thousands of communists, anti-fascists who fought nazism in occupied Europe and in Germany herself, such as the murdered by the Nazis heroic Secretary of the German Communist Party, Ernst Thälmann. The Nazi hell of Auschwitz is a reminder of the criminal nature of fascism, of the barbarity of the capitalist system that creates it, just as the german, european and american business groups funded Hitler. 

KKE slams Trump's plan for the Middle East: "It perpetuates and fortifies Israeli occupation"

In a statement published on 902 portal, the Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the so-called "peace plan" of the U.S. government for the Israeli-Palestinian issue. 

U.S. President Trump presented his plan, standing alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, during a press conference at the White House. 

More specifically, the KKE denounces that “the U.S plan for the Palestinian Issue, which is falsely presented as “the deal of the century”, not only does not guarantee an independent palestinian state but perpetuates and fortifies israeli occupation.”

Party of Labour of Austria (PdA): Statement for the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

Declaration of the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) for the 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp by the Red Army:

On 27 January 1945, Soviet Red Army soldiers from several infantry divisions of the 1st Ukrainian Front reached the concentration camps and the extermination camp of Auschwitz and liberated the remaining inmates. 

The German fascists had left behind only minimal military forces, but in battles in and around Oświęcim at least 230 Red Army soldiers died that day.

Iraqi Communist Party demands the ending of bloodshed, calls for early elections

As mass demonstrations and brutal repression by the authorites continue in Iraq, the Communist Party intervenes with a statement demanding an end to the bloodshed and calls the government to proceed  to early elections. 

More specifically, on 25th January, the Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party issued the following statement:

"The past few days have again witnessed the escalation of bloody repression by the security forces against the demonstrators in Baghdad and other provinces, which led to the death of more demonstrators and dozens injured.

Theo Angelopoulos: The Great Poet of Cinema

The 24th of January marks the death anniversary of the acclaimed Greek film director Theo Angelopoulos. He was killed by a motorcycle on January 24, 2012, while he was attempting to cross a busy road in Piraeus.

Being one of the last and most characteristic representatives of modernism in Cinema, Angelopoulos was, without any doubt, the most internationally respected Greek filmmaker and one of the greatest directors of his generation. He received numerous awards with the most notable being the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival for his remarkable film “Eternity and a Day”.