Cyprus: The 23rd Congress of AKEL kicked off in Nicosia

Under the slogan "Force of struggle - Force of change", the 23rd Party Congress of AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) began its works on Friday in Nicosia, Cyprus, with the participation of more than 1,200 delegates. 

The three-day Congress will conclude on Sunday 4 July.  

The first day of the Congress included the opening address by the member of the Political Bureau of AKEL Nicos Ioannou and the introductory speech of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Andros Kyprianou. 

AKEL condemns Erdogan's provocative visit to occupied Cyprus

In a statement concerning the provocative visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in the occupied territories of Cyprus and especially to the abandoned city of Famagusta, the Press Office of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) points out:

"AKEL unequivocally condemns the provocative visit of Tayyip Erdogan to the occupied territories, the celebrations for the 37th anniversary of the proclamation of the so-called “TRNC” and the “picnic” planned tomorrow within the fenced off city of Famagusta.

KKE: Erdogan's decision to open Varosha in occupied Cyprus reveals the hypocrisy of EU-USA-NATO

In a provocative decision the authorities of the illegal state entity of Northern Cyprus announced on Tuesday the opening of the coastal section of the long fenced-off occupied town of Varosha (Famagusta).

Speaking after a meeting in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Cypriot official Ersin Tatar told reporters that "the coast will open to the public from Thursday morning."

The U.S is using Cyprus as a vehicle to promote its strategic interests — AKEL reacts

The United States, the imperialist power which played a dark role in the 1974 Turkish invasion and division of the island, is back in Cyprus. 

The goal is always the same: the protection and promotion of the U.S. imperialist interests in the broader region of Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, in competition with other forces, such as Russia, China and Iran. 

EastMed pipeline and the position of the KKE

THE POSITION OF THE KKE ON EAST-MED PIPELINE

The ruling right-wing party New Democracy, together with the "left" party SYRIZA, the Social Democratic Party KINAL/PASOK and the far-right party Hellenic Solution, aligning with the dirty plans of the USA - NATO - EU - Israel and having their eye on the "upgrade" of the bourgeoisie of Greece, voted on 15/05/20 in the Plenary Session of the Parliament the agreement for the gas pipeline "East Med" with concise procedures.

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.

EastMed pipeline deal only brings new dangers for the people — Statement by the KKE

The EastMed pipeline deal signed between Greece, Cyprus and Israel "only brings new dangers for the people" points out the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in a statement issued earlier today. 

The KKE highlights the fact that the agreement over the gas pipeline, which was signed in Athens by Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Cyprus' President Nikos Anastasiades, has no relation with the actual interests of the region's peoples but on the contrary it consists part of the imperialist plans in East Mediterranean. 

More specifically, in the statement which was published on 902 portal, the KKE stresses out the following:

Mitsotakis, Pompeo shake hands, transforming Greece into a vast U.S-NATO base

The second round of the Greece-United States Strategic Dialogue began on Monday in the wake of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Athens, which marked an upgrade of the Defence Agreement with Greece. 

As we have mentioned in previous articles, the Agreement includes the modernization and expansion of the U.S. military installations in Greece. 

AKEL responds to Erdogan's remarks at the UN General Assembly

Responding to the remarks made by the President of Turkey Rejep Tayyip Erdogan at the 74th U.N. General Assembly in New York, the Press Office of the CC of the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) issued the following statement:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated from the podium of the UN General Assembly Turkey's well-known positions on the Cyprus problem and its claims in the Eastern Mediterranean. The leader of the occupyingpower has even provocatively claimed that the Greek Cypriots are the reason why the Cyprus problem has not been resolved for 50 years.

45 years since the Turkish invasion in Cyprus - Statement by the Communist Party of Greece

The 20th of July marks the 45th anniversary since the invasion of the Turkish armed forces in Cyprus which led to the island's partition and the occupation of the 37% of Cyprus by Turkey. 

On this occasion, the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out in a statement published on 902 portal:

"US, EU, NATO are responsible for the tension in Aegean and Cyprus"— KKE MEP Papadakis

During his intervention at the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasburg, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) MEP Kostas Papadakis denounced the aggression of the Turkish bourgeois class in Cyprus and the Aegean, pointing out that this stance is fueled by the policy of the United States, the European Union and NATO. 

According to 902 portal Kostas Papadakis said: 

Dimitris Koutsoumbas' interview on ANT1 News: On Turkey, Varoufakis and the July 7th elections

On Friday afternoon, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas gave an interview to anchor Nikos Chatzinikolaou and the news program of ANT1 TV. 

The General Secretary pointed out the need for the strengthening of the KKE in the upcoming general elections of July 7th, saying that the Communist Party is the only one that can prevent anti-people measures. He stated that the Party has immediate law proposals for the relief of the unemployed people, for lower salary at 751 euros, for the Social Insurance System and other issues related to the country's popular strata. 

"Farewell comrade" - Cyprus paid last respect to communist leader Demetris Christofias

Thousands of cypriots, men and women of every age, attended the funeral of the former President of Cyprus and long-time General Secretary of AKEL, Demetris Christofias, who died on Friday at the age of 72. 

The funeral, which took place in Strovolos, dictrict of Nicosia, was also attended by numerous officials, including the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, members of the Cypriot government, as well as representatives of political parties from Cyprus and Greece. 

"Greece's communists will always remember him"- KKE on the passing of D. Christofias

Regarding the passing away of the former General Secretary of the CC of AKEL, also former President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement of condolences. 

More specifically, the statement of the CC of the KKE points out:

"Comrade Demetris Christofias was born in August 1946 in the village of Kato Dikomo of Keryneia district and as a pupil he joined action. From an early age he believed in the right and served the interests of the cypriot people in all phases of his life. 

Former President of Cyprus and long-time AKEL leader Demetris Christofias dies at 72

Demetris Christofias.

Demetris Christofias, the former President of the Republic of Cyprus and long-time General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL party, has died in Nicosia. He was 72 years old. 

Doctors had said earlier that his health condition was extremely critical and irreversible.

Born in 1946, Christofias studied in Moscow, in the Soviet Union, at the Institute of Social Sciences, Academy of Social Sciences, from which he received a degree in history.  

"The situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is dangerous"- Statement by the KKE

The Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in its statement on the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean notes:

"The situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is dangerous. This is clear due to the violation of Cyprus' EEZ by the Turkish drilling ship "Fatih" and the search and rescue ship "Barbaros", the threats of the Turkish government regarding Cyprus and the Aegean, as well as due to the intensification of the criminal Israeli aggression against Palestine and its bombing of Gaza.

KKE: Statement on the trilateral Greece - Cyprus - Israel summit with the US participation

Pompeo - Anastasiadis- Netanyahu- Tsipras.

On the occasion of the trilateral summit in Jerusalem between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, with the participation of the United States of America, the Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement:

"The trilateral meeting in Jerusalem between Greece - Cyprus - Israel, with the participation of the American Secretary of State is being presented a “milestone” in developments.

The SYRIZA government is 'leading the dance', which up until a few days ago hoped that the trilateral meeting would be hosted in Crete and that the participation of Pompeo would be recorded as yet another recognition of its "offer" to  American-NATO designs in the eastern Mediterranean and wider.

92 years since the foundation of the Cypriot Communist Party - Statement by AKEL

The 19th of August marked the 92nd anniversary since the foundation of the Communist Party of Cyprus which in 1941 was renamed as AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People). 

On the occasion of the Party's foundation, the Press Office of the Central Committee of AKEL issued the following statement:

"The foundation of the Communist Party of Cyprus in Limassol on 19 August 1926 was and remains a landmark in our country’s history. From that day onwards, the working people of Cyprus acquired their own Party. 

The revolutionary message conveyed throughout Cypriot society by the Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC) is summarized in the following reference of its Program: "People are no longer dividedinto Greeks and Turks to fight amongst themselves about the greatness of their homelands, but dividedinto the poor and the wealthy." This is the class and internationalist content of the ideology that has been guiding the CPC-AKEL for 92 years.

AKEL honored the memory of Cypriot communist leader Ezekias Papaioannou

Ezekias Papaioannou (1908-1988).

Last April, during the inauguration ceremony of a park named after Ezekias Papaioannou* in the city of Limassol, the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) honored the memory of the Cypriot communist leader. AKEL's General Secretary Andros Kyprianou praised the role of Papaioannou in Cypriot politics and made some references to the late leader's life and political activity.

Among other things, Kyprianou referred to Papaioannou as "one of the most important political leaders of our country, one of the important personalities of the international communist movement" and "a Communist who lived a life full of struggles and service", beginning his speech with a passage from the memoirs of former Cypriot President (also former AKEL leader) Demetris Christofias: 

KKE Gen. Secretary Koutsoumbas warns of a “hot” incident between Greece and Turkey

“As the situation goes on, I am afraid that we will not avoid a “hot” incident” said Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece during a TV interview on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANT1 News, Koutsoumbas expressed his Party's concern about the latest developments in the Greek-Turkish relations. More specifically, he said:

“It seems that the policy of the Turkish bourgeois class, of the Turkish government, of Mr Erdogan, is oriented to put on the table- he already does verbally as well as practically- the violation of Greece's sovereign rights, the challenge of the Lausanne treaty, of Greek islands and islets in the Aegean which are Greek territory."