General Strike on December 8th in Greece - PAME calls for massive, militant response of the working class

A general, nationwide strike will take place on Thursday 8th December in Greece. Numerous labour unions, confederations and centers, students and women's associations have called for mass participation in the strike, against the policies of the SYRIZA government, the EU and the Capital.

The Government of SYRIZA, with the EU-IMF-ECB, are realizing the demands of the business groups and plan the imposition of: 

Liberalization of massive layoffsNew cut of the-already cut- minimum wage, Abolition of any benefit left, Complete imposition of individual or company based contracts, in order to cut further the average salary, Further imposition of flexible working relations, New cuts in pensions and social security rights, Legalization of employers’ “lockout”, Imposition of new trade union legislation that will abolish the right to strike and destroy trade union rights and freedoms and more measures.

SYRIZA and Golden Dawn- When Social Democracy met with the Nazis

From the left to right: Ilias Kasidiaris (Golden Dawn), Nina Kasimati (SYRIZA), Dimitris Vitsas (Alternate Defense Minister, SYRIZA), Panos Kammenos (Defense Minister, ANEL), Eleni Avlonitou (SYRIZA). 

The islands of Kastelorizo, Ro and Stroggyli in south-eastern Aegean was the destination of a short visit by Greece's Minister of Defense Panos Kammenos, the Chief of the General Staff Admiral V.Apostolakis and 9 members of the Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense. Among the members who accompanied Kamenos were 5 MPs from SYRIZA, 1 MP from the right-wing ANEL (Independent Greeks) party, 1 MP from the Center Union party and 2 members from the Nazi-fascist Golden Dawn! 

The Turkish government escalates provocative rhetoric over Aegean- Comment by the Communist Party of Greece

Rejep Tayyip Erdogan.

Last Wednesday, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu referred to the eastern Aegean Imia islets as “Turkish soil.” Cavusoglu was responding in writing to a question tabled by a Turkish MP regarding the status of islands and islets in the Aegean.

“As long as the AKP is in power there will be no change in the legal and de facto status of islands in the Aegean,” noted Cavusoglu in his statement. 

Cavusoglu’s comments followed comments made by the leader of the Turkish Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu in which he accused Greece of occupying 18 islands in the Aegean.

The Greek Foreign Ministry described the comments by Cavusoglu as “irresponsible and provocative” and a violation of international law. In response, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Huseyin Muftuoglu reaffirmed Ankara’s stance. 

“Turkey’s position on her sovereignty over Kardak Rocks [the Turkish name for the Imia islets] is well known by the international community since 1996. There is no change in our policy in this regard.” said Muftuoglu.

KKE: The people must be ready and vigilant - Statement about foreign policy and the Cyprus Issue

Statement of the GS of the CC of the KKE about foreign policy and the Cyprus Issue.

The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, noted the following on 28/11/2016 in his statements on Foreign Policy and the Cyprus Issue:

“The KKE follows with concern the latest developments regarding both Greek-Turkish relations as well as the Cyprus Issue. The KKE expresses its opinion with responsibility and calls on the Greek people to be in a state of readiness and vigilance.

The major everyday problems which afflict our people are expected to worsen in the coming period, as a result of the second “evaluation” and the government's new agreements with its partners in the EU and IMF.

Condemn the unjust prosecution of young communist- member of KNE by the Greek authorities

Information from 'Rizospastis' and 902.gr.

KILKIS- Numerous working class unions, students and women associations, various bodies of the labour-peoples' movement in Greece have condemned the prosecution by the police authorities of a young woman, member of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE). The KNE member, a student at Thessaloniki's Aristotle Univerity, was arrested on November 7th outside a high school in the city of Kilkis, northern Greece, after a complaint by the school's director. Her "criminal offense" was that she was....discussing with students the organisation of mobilization and struggle against the governmental policy on Education!

Showing primitive anticommunism the Greek authorities arrested the young comrade and appointed a court hearing on December 2nd. The prosecution was immediately denounced by the KKE Kilkis Sectoral Organisation and the KKE MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos who expressed their protest to the local police department. 

"My beloved Fidel...": Greece's legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis farewells his friend, Fidel Castro

"My beloved Fidel, 

you left us 
and this is the first time 
I disagree with you".

- Mikis Theodorakis, 26/11/2016.

With the above laconic phrase published in his personal website the internationally-renowned Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, 91, expressed his farewell to the emblematic Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro. 

Theodorakis, composer of numerous masterpieces such as Canto General (Poetry by Pablo Neruda), Axion Esti, Serpico and Zorba, whose musical genius made a decisive contribution to the cultural renaissance of postwar Greece, had the opportunity to meet with Fidel in Cuba and become a friend of the Cuban leader. 

Communist Party of Greece (KKE): Statement on the death of the leader of the Cuban revolution Fidel Castro

STATEMENT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE KKE.

In its statement on the death of the leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, the Central Committee of the KKE noted:

«The CC of the KKE, with great sadness, bids farewell to the legendary figure of the international communist movement, the leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro.

We express our most sincere condolences to the President of Cuba, Raul Castro, the CC of the CP of Cuba and to the entire Cuban people.

Fidel Castro was born in Birán, Cuba, on the 13th of August 1926 and studied law at Havana University. As a student he began to participate in the revolutionary movement against the Batista dictatorship in Cuba, a dictatorship which was also openly supported by the USA.

Reflections on Jack Rasmus’s "Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges"

Reflections on Jack Rasmus’s book Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges.

By Kostas Pateras* / Source: Marxism Leninism Today.

Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges by Jack Rasmus. Atlanta, Georgia: Clarity Press, 2016. $24.95. 312 pp.

The prolonged capitalist crisis in Greece, the intense labour-people's struggles, the dramatic negotiations and contradictions around the Greek debt (for which the Greek people are not responsible), the rise of SYRIZA have all attracted the interest, and this is only natural, of analysts, commentators, journalists, and, of course, ordinary workers from all over the world.

In the last two years in particular, a plethora of books have been published that attempt to analyze these developments and draw conclusions. One such effort is Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges, a recent book by Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics and politics at St. Mary’s College in California, and a writer for Z Magazine and Counterpunch.

VIDEO: Large and militant rally by KKE in Athens honoring the 43rd anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising

The demonstration in Athens was attended by the General Secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas who made the following statements:

43 years since the 1973 Athens Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta

Mass rallies have been scheduled for today in many Greek cities in order to commemorate and honour the 43rd anniversary of the students and workers uprising in Athens, which is historically known as the Polytechnic Uprising. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth (KNE) have organised a large demonstration-march to the U.S. embassy in downtown Athens, as well as other rallies in major cities, including Thessaloniki, Patra, Larisa, Iraklio etc. This year's anniversary of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta coincides with the visit of U.S. President Obama (15-16 November) in Greece and the SYRIZA-ANEL policy which involves the country deeper in the imperialist plans. 

What follows is a brief historical review of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising. 

On the night of the 20th to the 21st of April 1967, the reactionary military circles of the country, which were closely connected to the secret services of the USA and NATO, conducted a military coup. The operation of the surrender of power to the army had been developed at the staff of NATO, under the code name "Prometheus". Colonels G. Papadopoulos and N. Makarezos, who were actively involved in the preparation of the coup, became known as "the black colonels". 

OBAMA IN GREECE: Intensification of antipeople measures, deeper Greek involvement in NATO-EU imperialist plans

CONCLUSIONS OF A VISIT.

Comment on U.S. President Barack Obama's visit in Greece.

The bourgeois Greek media already celebrate the visit of Barack Obama in Greece, dedicating hymns to how- supposedly- valuable (for Greece) this visit was. The reality is different. The visit of Obama in Greece, during his last foreign trip as U.S. president, has two major conclusions: The first has to do about the continuation of the antipeople, antiworkers measures which the Greek government will continue imposing and the second is connected to Greece's deeper involvement in the dangerous US-NATO-EU warmongering plans in Eastern Mediterranean.

Massive rally against Obama's visit in Athens - People say a thunderous "NO" to US-NATO imperialist murderers

Under the slogans "Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people", "Get NATO out of the Aegean" and “The imperialists re-divide the world, they draw the borders with the blood of the peoples” thousands of people, workers, young men and women, participated in a massive rally in central Athens against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama. The protesters condemn Obama's visit and the Greek government's participation in the Euroatlantic imperialist plans. 

Despotic and despicable decision by the SYRIZA government forbids demonstrations during Obama visit in Athens!

With a despicable decision which reminds authoritarian establishments, the Greek Police have banned demonstrations in Athens on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of security preparations for a visit to the Greek capital by outgoing US President Barack Obama. 

The despotic decision by the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government was slammed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) which issued the following statement / Source: 902.gr, Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"With a despicable and despotic decision by the Police, the SYRIZA-ANEL government essentialy forbids any demonstration against the visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama, thus following the policy of the previous New Democracy-PASOK governments which SYRIZA, being in the opposition then, was denouncing.

"Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people"- Statement by the KKE about President Obama's visit in Greece

Regarding the upcoming visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama in Greece on Tuesday 15 November, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece issued the following statement.

Source: 902.gr, 

Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people".

The KKE calls the working people, the youth, all Greek people to give a militant "welcome" to the outgoing President of the USA, Barack Obama, who visits our country in a period when the offensive plans of NATO-US-EU are intensified, with Greece's active participation and with huge dangers for the Greek and other people of the region. They (the people) must participate massively to the demonstrations organised by the EEDYE*, PAME and the other bodies of the popular-labour movement, of the youth.

OBAMA NOT WELCOME IN GREECE- Demonstration against the visit of US President to take place in Athens on November 15th

Peace, Workers, Students, Women's Associations and Unions against the visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama in Greece. 

Info from 'Rizospastis', 6/11/2016.

OBAMA IS NOT WELCOME - NO PARTICIPATIΟN OF GREECE IN THE IMPERIALIST PLANS AND WARS.

With the slogan "Obama is not welcome in Greece- No participation of Greece in the imperialist plans and wars" numerous unions and associations of the labour-peoples' movement in Greece call for a massive demonstration on Tuesday 15th November in Omonia square, Athens. Among the participants are the Greek Committtee for International Detente and Peace (EEDYE), workers' unions, associations of self-employed and women, students unions and others.

KKE: Statement regarding the government's cabinet reshuffle

Regarding the cabinet reshuffle of the Tsipras' government, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement. 

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

"Except from its communicative character, the reshuffle of the SYRIZA-ANEL government aims in creating a (governmental) form which, with bigger stability and as little as possible "wobbling", will implement completely the antipeople restructures and the committments of the 3rd memorandum.

The pursuit of blaming some persons and manipulations for the antipeople measures, which caused a generalized popular indignation and anger (e.g. social security issue), must not hide the total governmental responsibility and policy which these specific persons consistently served.

Decision of the CC of the KKE on the developments around the Cyprus Issue and the position of the KKE

Decision of the CC of the KKE on the developments around the Cyprus Issue and the position of the KKE / Source: inter.kke.gr.

The CC of the KKE met and examined the overall developments on the Cyprus issue through the prism of the new facts. It came to the following decision:

The Communist Party of Greece follows, studies and takes a responsible position on the Cyprus problem. It has made a significant contribution to the denunciation of the Turkish invasion-occupation, to highlighting the international character of the problem, to expressing internationalist solidarity with the working class and popular strata of Cyprus, the Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins.

The KKE fights against the negative, for the peoples, plans that are unfolding in the framework of the antagonisms of the bourgeois classes of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, as well as the in the context of the negative and dangerous role played historically and still being played today by the USA, Britain, NATO and the EU as regards the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas' remarks after the meeting with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The Greek people must be vigilant about developments in the region.

Source: 902.gr/ Ιn Defense of Communism.

Today, Wednesday 2 November, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas met with the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos, regarding the developments on the Cyprus Issue, as well as about the positions of KKE on the developments in the broader region.

After the meeting, Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement to journalists:

"I informed Mr.President of the Republic about the developments in the region and the positions of the KKE. The sharpening of the contradictions, the antagonisms, the military conflicts and the accumulation of military weapons and forces throughout the region, from central and eastern Europe, the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Middle East do not bode positive steps and issues for the people and especially for the Greek people.

Golden Dawn Trial: The murderous attack against the members of KKE and PAME was planned and organized

Sotiris Poulikogiannis testifies in the court during the trial of the Nazi Golden Dawn (Monday, 31/10/2016)

Special to In Defense of Communism.
Info from 'Rizospastis' (1/11/2016) and news services.

In a revealing testimony on Monday, at the trial of the Nazi 'Golden Dawn' party in Athens, the president of the Metalworkers Trade Union of Attica Sotiris Poulikogiannis, who was among the victims of a murderous attack on September 2013, provided to the court some very interesting facts. Poulikogiannis spoke about the viciousness of the attack, the organized and planned character of the ambush and he revealed the relations between the Golden Dawn and large contractors of the dockyards in Perama. The communist trade unionist said that Golden Dawn is a criminal organisation because of her Nazi ideology and character and he refered to historical examples about the role and the activity of Nazism.

Greece's SYRIZA-ANEL "left" government undertakes a more active role in NATO's imperialist plans

The SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government of Greece is moving towards a more active participation in NATO's imperialist plans. It is characteristic that last Wednesday, the Greek parliament ratified a memorandum of understanding on the Joint Electronic Warfare Core Staff (JEWCS), aimed at supporting the planning and execution of NATO’s operations. 

The bourgeois parties (SYRIZA, New Democracy, Independent Greeks-ANEL, PASOK, Potami, Center Union) voted in favor of the memorandum, while the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) was the only party which voted against it, rejecting and denouncing the involvement of the country in the imperialist plans of NATO.