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.

Charilaos Florakis Remembered: The story of a Greek communist leader

By Nikos Mottas.

It was the 22nd of May 2005 when Charilaos Florakis, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) from 1972 to 1991, passed away at the age of 91. Florakis' life and activity, identified with the history and struggles of the KKE, was devoted to the ideals of marxism-leninism.

Born in 1914 in Paliozoglopi, a small village in Thessaly, Charilaos Florakis became a member of OKNE, the Communist Party’s Youth Wing, in 1929. As an OKNE member and later as a student and active worker at the so-called “TTT” (Posts, Telegraphs, Telephone Offices) he began his political activity, during a socially and politically turbulent period for Greece. 

European Communist Initiative: The slogan "Socialism or Barbarity" is more timely than ever

On May 10, 2020, a Teleconference of the parties of the European Communist Initiative was held, with the theme: "The struggle of the Communist and Labor Parties in the conditions of the pandemic and the new capitalist crisis".

The Teleconference was attended by 24 Communist and Labor Parties from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland,  Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

Greece: PAME’s impressive May 1st rally caused nightmares to anti-communists

The impressive May Day rally in Athens / Photo: Reuters.

The great, eye-catching demonstration  organized by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) on May 1st in Athens' Syntagma Square caused nightmares to anti-communists and various apologists of capitalist barbarity. 

The enemies of the working class from all over the bourgeois political spectrum, from Golden Dawn's neo-Nazi criminals to conservative New Democracy MPs and from far-right charlatans to SYRIZA's social democrats, expressed their deep discomfort for the celebration of the International Workers’ Day.

KKE condemns the new intervention attempt by mercenaries against Venezuela

In a statement the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the new infiltration attempt by mercenaries against Venezuela. 

More specifically the statement, which was published in 902 portal, reads:

“The KKE condemns the new intervention attempt in Venezuela by paramilitary group of mercenaries based in Colombia whose aim, according to the statements of the paramilitry group's leader in social media, was to cause sabotages and murder members of the Venezuelan government. The group of mercenaries-murderers was countered by Venezuela’s security forces.

"The deadliest virus is capitalism": Great May Day rally by PAME in Athens

In a rally with great symbolism, workers and labour unions honored the International Workers’ Day in Athens’ Syntagma Square, thus sending a powerful message of proletarian solidarity. 

Organized by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), the rally took place with all the necessary measures of protection due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the protestors keeping distance from each other, wearing masks and gloves. 

Workers' May Day 2020: Message by the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE)

Message by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the occasion of the International Workers' Day:

This year’s Workers’ May Day finds the working class of our country and all over the world in the middle of a pandemic. The working people, the poor popular strata are once again the great victims of this “healthcare” crisis that functions as a catalyst for a new deep capitalist economic crisis, but also for the promotion of plans and demands from big capital and its political representatives.

The collapse of the public healthcare system, even in the apex of capitalism, the USA, despite the heroism of healthcare workers there, the intensification of labor and the lack of even the most basic protection measures with risks to the lives and the health of the working people, unemployment, the testing out of new, more advanced forms of exploitation, such as telework, are just a few of the daily images that reveal the decay and the historical bankruptcy of capitalism.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE): On the 150th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin

The following is the statement of the Political Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the 150th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Lenin. 

For more statements and articles by Communist and Workers' Parties please click here.

On the 150th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin

The "New Marshall Plan" — The new, yet very old, "Great Idea" of the European capital and the communists' response

The following article, written by the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas, was published in the weekend edition of "Rizospastis" newspaper on 11-12 April 2020: 

THE "NEW MARSHALL PLAN"

The new, yet very old, "Great Idea" of the European capital and the communists' response

Hands Off the Communists of Georgia – On the persecution of Temur Pipia

Temur Pipia, Chairman of the CC of the Unified Communist Party of Georgia, was arrested in the Georgian borders on 28-29 March, upon his arrival from Russia. 

The reason for his detention was that among his personal belongings there were commemorative medals donated by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) for the 75th anniversary of the Great Anti-fascist People’s Victory.

The persecution is based on Georgia’s despicable anti-communist legislation which prohibits communist symbols, equating them with the ones of the nazis! 

KKE: On the death of Grup Yorum member Helin Bölek after 288 days of hunger strike

In a statement published today on 902 portal, the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) expresses its condolences to the family of Helin Bölek, the 28 year-old member of the Turkish music band Grup Yorum who died on Friday after 288 days of hunger strike.

The KKE condemns the persecutions industry against workers, trade uninionists, party officials, artists, academics and journalists set by Erdogan’s government, which enjoys the tolerance- even encouragement- of the EU, USA and NATO. The Party expresses its solidarity to the people’s struggle and its support to their rights and freedoms. 

KKE: Response to ND - SYRIZA hypocrisy over MP and state officials' salaries

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis requested that the members of the Cabinet and the MPs of the governing New Democracy (ND) party deposit half their salary, for the next two months, in order to support the special fund that has been set up to combat coronavirus oubreak.

SYRIZA, for its part, competing with the government in its efforts to impress, called for a mandatory, not voluntary, reduction in parliamentary salaries and benefits for all state and government officials.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: “EU solidarity is a joke, capitalism itself has bankrupted”

With an article published in the weekend edition of the KKE’s newspaper “Rizospastis”, General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas refers to the COVID-19 situation and the political consequences of the current pandemic.  

Under the title “The end of myths and illussions”, the article draws important conclusions about healthcare in capitalism, highlighting the fact that the pandemic shows the limitations of the capitalist system itself. 

Communist MEPs call the EU to take immediate protection measures in face of Covid-19

According to a report published on 902 portal, Communist Party of Greece (ΚΚΕ) MEPs Kostas Papadakis and Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos sent a letter to the presidents of the European Council, EU Commission and EU Parliament, demanding immediate measures of prevention and protection by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In their letter addressed to Mr Charles Michel, Mrs Ursula Von Der Leyen and Mr David Maria Sassoli, the KKE eurodeputies point out the great difficulties that doctors and medical staff face in their fight against COVID-19 outbreak. 

21 years since NATO's crime against Yugoslavia - We shall never forget!

Today, March 24th, marks the 21st anniversary since the beginning of Yugoslavia's bombing by NATO forces. On this day, twenty-one years ago, the sirens of war and destruction sounded in Belgrade, Pristina, Novi Sad and other cities, marking the beginning of a massacre that lasted 78 days. 

The following article was written and published last year, on the occasion of the twenty-years since the imperialist crime against the people of Yugoslavia.

Refugee Crisis: Militant intervention by Greek communists in the developments

The following article provides a thorough outline of the position and initiatives of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) regarding the ongoing refugee situation in the borders between Greece and Turkey and the Greek islands: 

Militant intervention by the communists in the developments concerning the Refugee question

By Nikos Sofianos*

Greece must not become EU's refugee prison, says KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis

Communist Party (KKE) eurodeputy Kostas Papadakis.

The immense responsibilities of the European Union and NATO in the creation and perpetuation of the refugee situation in the Greek-Turkish borders, as well as the need for the abolition of EU's Dublin Regulation and the EU-Turkey migrant deal, were highlighted by Kostas Papadakis, MEP for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), during his intervention at the EU Parliament’s plenary in Brussels. 

More specifically Papadakis pointed out the following:

Coronavirus in Greece: The government must take protection measures for all workers

Addressing the issue of public health due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), PAME and Workers’ Unions have urged the government to take immediate measures of protection. 

In a statement today the General Secretary of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas said that, additionally to the advise provided by the National Organization of Public Health (EODY), the government must take measures which will ensure the protection of public health and the workers’ rights. 

Statement of the Political Bureau of the KKE on the refugee crisis in Greek-Turkish borders

On March 3, 2020, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement regarding the refugee situation in the Greek-Turkish borders and the measures announced by the government. You can read previous statements by the KKE about the issue here and here. 

The statement is the following:

The latest developments, with the entrapment of thousands of refugees and immigrants on the Aegean islands and at the Greek-Turkish border in Evros, confirm once again that the EU and NATO policy that the Greek governments have followed and are fervently adhering to now is, on the one hand, responsible for the dissolution of countries and the uprooting of peoples and on the other,  for the entrapment of uprooted peoples on islands and at borders. This policy has paved the way for Erdogan to try to impose his own objectives, using the refugee situation as a vehicle.

KKE slams Greek government: "Demonstrate your strength to EU and NATO, not to refugees"

Greek riot police forces behind the fences at Kastanies
border crossing, 29 February 2020 EPA/EFE.

After a meeting on Sunday chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece’s Government Council on National Security (KYSEA) decided to step up the level of deterrence to the maximum point at the Greek-Turkish borders in Evros. 

The conservative ND government also decided to suspend new asylum applications, while the presence of army units and police forces across Kastanies border gates has been strengthened. Additionally, Athens has requested from EU border agency FRONTEX to provide additional aid in the protection of the borders.