Deadly floods hit west Athens, leave at least 16 dead: Statement by KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas

The General Secretary of the Central Comittee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Dimitris Koutsoumbas, visited on November 15th the facilities of the Helenic telecommunications organisation (OTE) in Parnitha and spoke to the employees. In his speech, among other things, he referred to the huge destruction caused by the floods in the areas of Mandra and Nea Peramos, in Attica, which killed 16 people.

In particular, General Secretary Koutsoumbas stressed among other things:

“Poor working class and people’s families drown every year, in different areas all over Greece, precisely because there are no flood protection works, there is no necessary infrastructure; as a result we constantly mourn victims, fellow people, houses and properties are destroyed that people had created working hard all their life, from day to night. Therefore, we must express our solidarity with the victims, but, above all, we must express our determination to organise the struggle on such issues in every workplace, in every neighbourhood.”

Demonstration of PAME in Athens: Workers send message of resistance to Tsipras' government

With a large demonstration in central Athens, thousands of working class people send a message of resistance and counterattack against the new measures prepared by the SYRIZA-ANEL government, the quartet and the capital. 

The demonstrators, who corresponded to the initiative of the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), gathered at Syntagma Square thus sending an organised and militant message to the antipeople triangle of government-EU-employers. 

Speech by KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas in Leningrad: "Hold high the flag of Marxism-Leninism!"

The following text is the speech of the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas at the 19th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties that takes place in Leningrad, Russia. 

Dear comrades, representatives

of the Communist and Workers Parties,

We are particularly moved to be here in Leningrad, at the meeting being hosted by the CP of the Russian Federation, precisely 100 years after the Great Socialist October Revolution.

We continue to call Petrograd, Leningrad, the name that it took in honour of the leader of the world historically important revolution that changed the fortune and course of humanity, inaugurating the beginning of the end of capitalist barbarity  and the dawn of a new society; the name of the founder of the young workers’ state, the first socialist democracy known to mankind, irrespective of the fact that this course was interrupted in 1991, after tragic mistakes and weaknesses that allowed the restoration of capitalism.

Interview of the KKE Secretary General Dimitris Koutsoumbas on "Pravda" newspaper (EN/RU)

Interview of the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas on "PRAVDA" newspaper, organ of the CC of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF).

Source: inter.kke.gr. 

1.   Which was the role of the Great October Socialist Revolution and the experience of the soviet power in USSR in the constitution and development of your party?

This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917 in Russia, which put its seal in the 20^th century. Its outbreak and victory has had a tremendous impact on global developments. The Russian working class with the October Revolution came to embody the vision of millions of working-popular masses for a better life. It has given great impetus to the development of the workers´ movement internationally, accelerated the process of establishing communist parties in many countries, including Greece. In November 1918, representatives of the socialist organizations of Greece originally created the Socialist Workers' Party of Greece (SEKE), which a few years later was renamed toCommunist Party of Greece (KKE). Among the decisions of the KKE's founding conference is a greeting to Soviet Russia, as well as a protest - denunciation against the planned military intervention by the imperialists against Soviet power.

100th anniversary of the October Revolution: Speech by the GS of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas

Speech by the Secretary General of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas at the internationalist event hosted by the KKE in Athens, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution / Source: inter.kke.gr. 

Dear comrades,

We honour here at the headquarters of the CC of the KKE the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, a great epic of struggles and sacrifices for the construction of a new society, without the exploitation of man by man, which the peoples experienced and continue to experience under capitalism and also under the previous exploitative social systems.

This epic, which began victoriously in the country of the Soviets inspired the working class and the peoples all over the world.

The 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution was honored in Athens (+Video)

"Long live the October Socialist Revolution! Long live Marxism-Leninism and Proletarian Internationalism! Our future isn't capitalism; it is the new world, socialism!".

Under these slogans and with the presense of representatives of Communist Parties from various countries, the Central Committee of the KKE honored the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution. The event, which took place at the KKE's headquarters in Perissos, Athens, consists part of the celebrations organised by the CC of the KKE for the centennial of the 1917 October Revolution. 

KKE: Internationalist event for the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution to take place in Athens

Within the framework of the events commemorating the 100 years since the October Socialist Revolition, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece organises on Sunday 15 October, at 6 pm in Athens, an internationalist event under the title "100 years since the October Revolution. Capitalism is the past, Socialism is the future".

The event will be addressed by the Secretary General of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas, while greeting messages will be delivered by representatives of the Communist Parties participating  in the meeting of the Editorial Committee of the "International Communist Review". The event will take place at the KKE headquarters in Perissos. (In Defense of Communism).

D. Koutsoumbas: "We continue on the road opened by the October Socialist Revolution. For the victory, for Socialism - Communism"

Speech by the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas in the political event of the 43rd KNE-Odigitis Festival in Athens. Source: inter.kke.gr: 

"Friends and comrades,

The future is here! The future is here, at the 43rd festival of KNE and ODIGITIS, in this beautiful picture of the enlightened future world which all visitors can admire.

The future is here, in the Tritsi park, in the center of the western Attica, which has been transformed into a red city thanks to the volunteer work and will of our KNE’s members and friends.

You can see the future in the faces of the thousands of young people who are determined to fight for a life with modern rights to work, education, life,  sports and culture. That’s the origin of our slogan, “Youth does not bow its head, it attacks and struggles alongside the KKE!”

Powerful message for struggle: At least 250,000 people attended KNE-Odigitis Festival in Athens

Photo: 902.gr

With the tremendous, unprecedented participation of thousands of people of all ages, the three-day events of the 43rd Festival of the Communist Youth of Greece and its newspaper "Odigitis" were concluded in Athens. 

According to KNE, the number of the people who attended the cultural and political events of the festival reaches the record high of 250,000.

The third and last day of the Festival, among other events, included a large concert dedicated to the late composer Manos Loizos, with the participation of popular singers like George Dalaras, Maria Farantouri and Vasilis Papakonstantinou. The concert took place on the occasion of the 80 years since the birth of Loizos, one of Greece's most talented composers who died at the age of 45. 

Applause and respect for Mikis Theodorakis at the KNE-Odigitis Festival

Under the sounds of "Romiosini"- one of Greek music's greatest compositions- and a warm applause thousands of people welcomed Mikis Theodorakis at the KNE-Odigitis festival, yesterday evening at Tritsis Park in Athens. The legendary composer- also a political figure whose activity left its stamp on the Greek left- was welcomed by the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas and the Secretary of the Communist Youth (KNE) Nikos Abatielos.

KKE welcomes 30 Communist and Anti-imperialist youth organisations participating at KNE Festival

A meeting between representatives of 30 Communist and Anti-imperialist youth organisations which participate at the 43rd KNE-Odigitis Festival and the Secretary General of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas was held earlier today at the Party's headquarters in Perissos, Athens. 

In his welcome speech, D.Koutsoumbas said:

"We welcome in the headquarters of the CC of the KKE the 30 Communist and Anti-imperialist youth organisations from all over the world which are in Greece for the 43rd KNE-Odigitis Festival.

KKE GS Koutsoumbas: NATO-USA-EU are in no way guarantors of "peace" and "security" in the Balkans

The Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas spoke at a major political event of the 43rd KNE-Odigitis Festival in Thessaloniki.

Source: inter.kke.gr.

The political and cultural events of the 43rd Festival of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) and its newspaper "Odigitis", which this year are dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution.

The three days' of events of KNE's Festival in Thessaloniki were held from the 13th to the 16th of September. At the Festival a major political rally was held, where the GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas spoke and called on the youth "from tomorrow, with the impetus of the successful festival, more workers and young people should come with us on the path for revolutionary change.

KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Salamina oil spill: Shipowners and the government bear grave responsibility for the environmental disaster

Commenting on the sinking of "Agia Zoni II" tanker, on Saturday, and the subsequent environmental disaster which threatens major beaches in Athens, the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas said the following:

"The shipwreck in Salamina, with the huge disaster in caused to the enivornment and the people of Attica, mirrors their (the government's) development. From one side, the timeless governmental prattles about Piraeus as "entrance gate" and "international junction" and, on the other side, very old ships, "floatting coffins" for the workers, damaged professionals and absence of elementary state infrastructure for the protection of Public Health and the Environment. The government and the shipowners bear grave responsibiities and this crime must not remain unpunished".

Thousands of workers raised their voice against Tsipras government's anti-people policies

Thousands of working people, farmers, unemployed, pensioners and students participated in the large demonstration organised by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Saturday evening. The rally was held on the occasion of the inauguration, by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, of the city's International Trade Fair. 

Representatives of Trade Unions and labor organisations delivered short greeting messages, while the major speech was given by the member of the executive committee of PAME and General Secretary of the Thessaloniki Labour Center Leonidas Stoltidis. 

The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, attended the rally and made the following statement to the Press:

Memorial in honor of the communist guerrilla Democratic Army was unveiled in northern Greece

KKE Gen. Sec. Dimitris Koutsoumbas at the
DSE memorial (Source: 902.gr)

Theotokos, Greece - With the participation of hundreds members, supporters and friends of the Communist Party (KKE) and its youth wing (KNE), as well as numerous locals, the inauguration of the Memorial-museum dedicated to the heroic, communist-backed guerrilla Democratic Army of Greece (1946-1949) took place in the mountain of Gramos, at the northern Greek prefecture of Ioannina. 

The General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas unveiled the memorial, while the major speech was delivered by the member of the CC of the Party Dimitris Gontikas. The names of 438 Democratic Army fighters, natives of the Gramos and Smolikas mountainous area, are inscripted in plagues surrounding the memorial. 

Cyprus Issue: The KKE warns about the dangerous partition "solution" that is being promoted

Source: inter.kke.gr.

On July 11, 2017 a discussion of the leaders of the political parties was held in the Greek parliament regarding the developments in the Cyprus issue and the outcome of the negotiations in Geneva.

During the discussion, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of KKE, underlined that the Cyprus issue is an international problem of invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus by Turkey. It is a problem that bears the stamp of NATO intervention, of the general imperialist plans for the region.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas at KNE anti-imperialist camp: "Our future is not capitalism; it is the new world, Socialism!"

KKE GS D. Koutsoumbas addressing young communists in Ioannina.

A large crowd of young communists, members and friends of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), attended a speech by the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas, yesterday at the city of Ioannina in northern Greece. The speech by the KKE Secretary General marked the closing of the 26th anti-imperialist camp of KNE.

KKE Gen.Secretary D.Koutsoumbas: "People's struggle against capitalism is what brings hope"

Source: inter.kke.gr.

On July 3 2017, a pre-agenda discussion in Parliament was held at the level of the party leaders on the issue of the economy, at the request of the President of ND, K.Mitsotakis, on the occasion of the recent agreement in the Eurogroup regarding the completion of the second "review" of the Greek economy.

As was expected, the Prime minister A.Tsipras, the President of ND K.Mitsotakis and the leaders of the rest of the bourgeois parties attempted to use confrontational language in order to conceal their strategic convergence around the basic demands of capital, swapping accusations about who "undermines" the aims of capital and who serves them better.

In contrast, the GS of the CC of the KKE, D.Koutsoumpas, noted that the real hope for the working class and people is not to be found in the plans and negotiations of the capitalists. Dimitris Koutsoumpas underscored that the biggest memorandum is the capitalist development path itself. He noted that the fairy tales about "just development" in capitalism, which allegedly benefits both the monopolies and the people, are collapsing every day in the workplaces, where the harsh exploitation of the workers is realized.

KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "The Greek people do not believe anymore the fairy tale of Mr.Tsipras"

Visiting the city of Patras, where he met with the city's communist mayor Kostas Peletidis, the Secretary General of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"The Greek people do not believe anymore this oft repeated fairy tale which Mr.Tsipras and his government repeat, that the people's sacrificies finally have results, that development will come and will be for their benefit. The huge sacrifices that the Greek people done, do and will continue doing, under the policies of governments so far, are for the interests of the big capital, of a few monopoly groups. This is the essence of that and our people are kneeling, bleeding and will continue doing so under the lasting memorandums and the new measures that are coming". 

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

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The significance of the October Revolution in the era of the transition from capitalism to socialism-communism

By Dimitris Koutsoumbas*.

Source: International Communist Review, Issue 7, 2017.

In 2017 we will honour the 100th anniversary of the Great Socialist Revolution that took place in 1917 in Russia. This event marked and determined the course of millions of people, not just within the geographical confines of the first workers' state in the history of humanity, the USSR, but it also had an impact of every corner of the planet for many decades.

October demonstrates the working class's potential and capacity to implement its historical mission as the only truly revolutionary class, to lead the first attempt to construct socialism-communism.

At the same time, October shows the irreplaceable role of the guiding force of the socialist revolution, the communist party.

Great October demonstrates the enormous strength of proletarian internationalism. Despite the developments after the overthrow of socialism in 1989-1991, the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, with all the theoretical and practical experience and maturity that we have acquired over the years, makes us even more certain and categorical about the timeliness and necessity of socialism-communism.