Greek soldier punished for speaking out against NATO and expressing solidarity with struggling farmers!

Archive Photo

In Greece, the Ministry of National Defense have escalated their attempts to limit political expression within the Armed Forces. Soldier Manos Papageorgiou, serving at the 4th Recruit Training Centre on Samos, has been sentenced to 25 days’ imprisonment and removed from the Special Forces — not for misconduct, but for openly declaring solidarity with working people and farmers resisting economic hardship and militarisation.

 

Greek soldiers lead the way in demonstration against the imperialist war in the Middle East

With large anti-war demonstrations organized by the Communist Party (KKE) in Athens, Piraeus and various districts throughout Attica, Greece on Saturday 5/10, thousands of protesters raised their voice against the imperialist carnage in the Middle East, demanding an immediate end of Greece's participation in the warmongering plans of Israel, US and NATO in the region. 

The demonstrators demanded the immediate return of the Greek frigate "Spetsai" from the Red Sea, the termination of Greece's multifaceted political and military alliance with the State of Israel and expressed their solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon who are being slaughtered by the Netanyahu government and its allies. 

Greek Army cadet prosecuted over anti-NATO views

By Nikos Mottas

The spectre of censorship seems to be back in the Greek Armed Forces these days. Konstantinos Kesopoulos, Cadet reserve officer of Infantry in the Hellenic Army, has been summoned for an official apology after expressing himself against Greece's military involvement in the Euro-Atlantic imperialist plans in the Middle East.

The cadet's “crime” was the fact that that he publicly expressed his opposition to the dispatch of a Greek frigate in the Red Sea within NATO and EU's operations against the Houthis. He also demanded the closure of all foreign military bases and the cancellation of the Greek-US joint drills which actually prepare the Hellenic Army for active participation in the imperialist war fronts in Ukraine and the Middle East. 

KKE: The dispatch of a Greek frigate to the Red Sea involves the country even more deeply in the dangerous imperialist plans

In a comment on the dispatch of a Greek frigate to the Red Sea, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses the following:

“The dispatch of a Greek frigate to the Red Sea, under the pretext of the safety of maritime navigation and protection of merchant ships, involves the country even more deeply in the dangerous imperialist plans, which at this stage are directly linked to the support of the murderous policy of the Israeli state.

Greek soldier punished because he publicly expressed anti-NATO views

A soldier of the National Militia Battalion in the Greek island of Rhodes was punished by his unit because he expressed views against NATO, USA and the EU, 902 portal reported. More specifically, the soldier published a letter in which he opposes Greece's participation in the dangerous US-NATO imperialist plans and the country's involvement in the Ukraine war.

In a statement, the Solidarity Committee for the Rights of the Conscripts strongly denounces the decision to punish the soldier, underlines the responsibility of the Government and especially the Ministry of Defence and calls for the immediate revocation of the sentence. 

The KKE denounces the sending of weapons to Ukraine by the Greek government

Giorgos Marinos, member of the PB of the CC of the KKE and MP, made an intervention in the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs demanding that the Minister of National Defence inform the Committee about the sending of military equipment to Ukraine and not hold a briefing behind closed doors. 

 

He stressed that the issue is crucial and linked with the dangerous involvement in the war and the US–NATO plans. 

KKE: Statement on government's celebrations for Rafale jets

The first six of 24 Rafale fighter aircraft acquired by the Hellenic Air Force from France arrived in Greece on Wednesday, landing at the Tanagra air base where the government organized a celebration attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

They took off from Istres in France and landed in Tanagra, where they joined the 332nd Squadron, after first flying over central Athens, escorted by two Mirage 2000-5 aircraft.

Greek soldier: "The bloodstained NATO flag is a disgrace for our Navy"

The advanced involvement of the Greek Armed Forces in NATO's imperialist missions and plans has led to multiple reactions within the ranks of soldiers who have publicly denounced the participation of Greece in NATO's drills. 

A month ago, Greek Navy conscripts had publicly protested the participation of Greek ships in NATO's military exercises. This time, Stavros Papadakis, member of the "Navarinon" frigate, officially reported his strong disagreement for the involvement of the frigate in the so-called "Sea Guardian" maritime security operation of NATO in the Mediterranean Sea.

Greek Navy conscripts stand up against NATO: "There is no place for NATO in Greece"

"The bloodstained NATO symbols are a disgrace for the ships of the Greek fleet" says a conscript at the Greek Navy, expressing his strong protest for the participation of Greek ships in NATO's military exercises. 

Conscripts who are serving their military service at the Greek Navy denounce the decision of the SYRIZA-ANEL government to involve Greece's Armed Forces even deeper in NATO's imperialist plans.

SHAME: Greek soldier punished because he participated in anti-war demonstration!

Soldier Kaklamanos speaking during the antiimperialist,
antiwar rally in Athens, 27 February 2018.

Aimilios Kaklamanos, soldier of the Greek army, was punished by his unit for participating and speaking in an antiimperialist demonstration organised by the KKE in Athens on February 27th. In his speech, the soldier had argued against the participation of Greek soldiers in the warmongering imperialist plans of NATO-EU. 

Today, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement condemning as "unacceptable" the punishment of the soldier. More specifically the statement reads:

"The KKE denounces the unacceptable punishment of the soldier who participated and spoke at the antiwar rally of the KKE, in Athens, on 27/2. 

KKE: The "Iniochos 2018" multinational military exercise consists a "war rehearsal"

In a statement regarding the multinational air force exercise "Iniochos 2018" in Greece, the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece points out the following:

"The multinational exercise "Iniochos 2018", with the participation of a large number of forces from the USA, Britain, Italy, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus, is conducted neither for the strengthening of the defense nor for the protection of the country's sovereign rights, but consists a "war rehearsal". Such exercises test in practice the operational plans schemed by the imperialist powers, aiming at the pillaging of the resources of the region and the control of their transportation's routes, bloodsheding and uprooting the people, like in Syria. Besides, for that reason the US ambassador G.Pyatt has been invited to attend the exercise.

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.

Greek soldiers refused to guard NATO's base: "We will never carry out any service supporting NATO killers"

Archive Photo.

According to a report published in "Rizospastis", soldiers denied to participate in the guarding of NATO's newly established helicopter base at the port of Alexandroupolis, in northern Greece. 

Talking to Rizospastis, one of the Greek soldiers - who perform their military service- said:

"We will never guard, or carry out any other service that supports NATO and the American murderers of the people. That is what I personally supported in my report to the (military) command. My colleagues did the same. It is provocative and unacceptable that they bring in our country, in our home, NATO's army which plan and unleash wars against the people."

Greek soldiers declare NATO forces "unwelcome"

THEY ARE NOT WELCOME!

With an open letter, soldiers from military camps in Evros and Thrace in Greece express their protest against the facilitations that Greece's Armed Forces provide to NATO's exercise "Noble Jump". 

More speficially, the soldiers denounce the SYRIZA-ANEL government for providing Greek "territory and waters" to NATO's forces and underline that the governmental policy consists "a provocation for the soldiers, who are children of the Greek people, especially after the reactions of soldiers and the popular movement which, for at least 20 days, with statements, demonstrations, reports and letters from Greece and Cyprus, have expressed their opposition to NATO".