On the termination of the activity of the European Communist Initiative and the role of opportunism

By Nikos Mottas.

The erosive and undermining role of opportunism in the international communist movement has made its appearance again, this time by leading to the termination of the activity of the European Communist Initiative (INITIATIVE).

According to a statement by the Secretariat of the INITIATIVE, the “important ideological and political differences that have arisen over time and which have been aggravated since the outbreak of the war being waged between the USA-NATO-EU and capitalist Russia” were assessed during a last teleconference held on September 9.

KKE on Mitsotakis-Zelensky joint declaration: Their invocation of international law is hypocritical

In a statement concerning the Joint Declaration signed by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy in Athens, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses out:

“As much as Mr Mitsotakis hypocritically invokes the “international law”, he can't hide that actual aim of his government, which is the more active and deep involvement of our country in the imperialist war in Ukraine and in NATO plans in the region. Essentially, that is, the ND government feeds those factors that led both to the NATO-Russia conflict in Ukraine, as well as to the aggravation of the problems in the Balkan countries. 

KKE and AKEL condemn attack on UN peacekeeping forces in Cyprus' buffer zone

KKE: The decision of the occupation authorities on Cyprus aims at the creation of fait accompli

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in an announcement on Saturday underlined that the occupation authorities in north Cyprus arbitrary decision to carry out unauthorised construction works for the opening of a road that would link the occupied village Arsos with Pyla (inhabited by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots) along with the attack against UN peacekeeping forces aims to the creation of fait accompli and triggers a dangerous tension in the area.

International Action Day of Trade Unions for Peace — Día Internacional de Acción de los Sindicatos por la Paz

The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) organizes for one more year an International Action Day of Trade Unions for Peace on September the 1st, the dark anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War after the attack of Nazi Germany on Poland.  

This day is established by the international class-oriented trade union movement as the day of remembrance and honor for the millions of victims of the Nazi and fascist atrocities of the Second World War, but also for all the victims of the imperialist wars, for all those who paid with their lives for the imperialist antagonisms and multinationals’ speculations and bulimia of big capital.

Niger coup: Why West Africa has become the center of inter-imperialist standoff

By Nikos Mottas.

The military coup d'etat of July 26th in Niger, which deposed pro-French President Mohammad Bazoum, is part of the broader imperialist confrontation of the Western powers (USA, NATO, EU) with Russia and China. This time, the imperialist standoff is focused on the resource-rich region of Sahel, activating the decades-old political divisions in West Africa. 

The timely task of struggling against NATO is linked to a revolutionary understanding of the world

"The timely task of struggling against NATO is linked to a revolutionary understanding of the world, to confidence in the power of class struggle"

 

On 14/7/23, Eliseos Vagenas, member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and Head of the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE, delivered a speech during the 32nd Anti-imperialist Camp of KNE, held in Nestorio, under the theme “NATO Summit: more fuel to the fire of war and competition”.

 

The struggle against NATO cannot be postponed — Statement by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

Following Tayyip Erdogan's "green light" for Sweden's accession to NATO within the framework of the imperialist alliance's Summit in Vilnius, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a statement:

"It is only a matter of time before NATO, the world’s largest terrorist organisation, expands to include one more country.

We cannot be expected to remain indifferent to Sweden’s membership of NATO. Our interest does not only come from our responsibility to fight against the role of our own government in the oppression of the peoples of other countries. 

KKE: The NATO Summit in Vilnius will add further fuel to the fire of imperialist competition and wars

The Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement on the NATO Summit in Vilnius, which reads as follows:

“The NATO Summit in Vilnius (Lithuania), which is due to be held on 11–12 July 2023, will add further fuel to the fire of imperialist wars and rivalries. These rivalries are currently manifested in the fierce military conflict in Ukraine, as well as in the tension in the Indo-Pacific and other regions, where the struggle over raw materials, energy, the transport routes of the commodities, market shares, i.e. for the division of capital’s profits, is escalating.

WFTU: NATO Summit in Lithuania is another blatant provocation to the whole peaceful humanity

The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), on behalf of its 105 million workers who live, work and struggle in 133 countries of the 5 continents strongly condemns the imperialist plans of NATO and considers the 2023 Summit which is going to be held July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania, one more blatant provocation to the whole peaceful humanity.

The peoples all over the globe know we well the bloody mission of this imperialist alliance is to maintain, and expand if possible, the existing favourable correlation of forces for the NATO countries in order to safeguard the profits of their monopolies.  

New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN): Stop involving the Netherlands in imperialist wars!

In a statement, the International Committee of the New Communist Party of the Netherlands (Nieuwe Communistische Partij van Nederland - NCPN) points out:

"According to NOS (Dutch state media), part of the bourgeois political top in The Hague has known for a year about the heavy suspicions against the Ukrainian government for blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The Dutch military intelligence service (MIVD) warned the US intelligence agency (CIA) a year ago that there were plans from Ukraine to blow up the gas pipeline. The consequences of blowing up the Nord Stream have been very detrimental, including for the Dutch working class. 

KKE condemns reinforcement of NATO's presence in Kosovo, calls for the withdrawal of Greek forces

Statement of the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the developments in Kosovo:

Unacceptable reinforcement of NATO’s presence - Greek forces must withdraw immediately

Nowadays, there is a sharpening conflict of imperialist interests in various regions of the world, including the Balkans, where the situation formed by Euro-Atlantic intervention, NATO bombings and the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s remains a festering wound.

The KKE will not take part in anti-popular government, says Party Secretary Koutsoumbas

"The KKE won't participate in any anti-popular government", clarifies the Party's leader ahead of the Greek Parliamentary Elections of 21 May 2023. 

 

Excerpts from the interview of Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), to "Proto Thema" newspaper:

What does the term “left” mean today?

The truth is that it is a term that has been abused by many people over time, both in Greece and internationally.

Workers Party of Ireland: On the presence of the US President in Ireland. No to Biden! No to NATO!

In a statement, the Central Executive Committee of the Workers Party of Ireland refers to US President Joe Biden's visit to Ireland:   

This week the US President, Biden, is in Ireland, supposedly to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. This is a pretext. He will spend very little time in Northern Ireland where he has one brief engagement.

KKE: On the so-called World Anti-Imperialist Platform and its damaging and disorienting position

Article by the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE

The outbreak of the imperialist war in Ukraine has sharpened the contradictions within the international communist movement around serious ideological-political issues that have been plaguing it for years and express the opportunist influence in its ranks. Naturally, the focus was on the stance towards the imperialist character of the war that is being waged between the USA-NATO-EU and capitalist Russia on the territory of Ukraine, the stance towards the bourgeoisie and its political representatives such as social democracy, the problematic analyses of the imperialist system and the position of China and Russia, and other issues, more deeply connected with the question of the erroneous strategy of stages towards socialism, of support for and participation in bourgeois governments.

U.S-Britain to nominate Zelensky as next NATO's Chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is going to be nominated for the position of NATO's General Secretary, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg who is set to step down later this year.

According to the State Department's spokesperson Ned Price, President Joe Biden and British Premier Rishi Sunak have both agreed to support Zelensky's nomination in the North Atlantic Council Summit that is due to take place in Brussels in September 2023. The initiative is also endorsed by French President Emmanuel Macron, while the governments of Germany, Italy and Canada are expected to respond positively. 

Communist Party of Turkey (TKP): Vote for exiting from NATO, not for NATO enlargement!

Statement by the CC of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on Turkish Parliament's ratification of Finland’s accession to the imperialist alliance of NATO:

Vote for exiting from NATO, not for NATO enlargement!

Today the Parliament will vote on NATO enlargement. The general assembly of the Parliament will discuss the bill ratifying the protocol on Finland’s accession to NATO.

Austrian Communists slam Zelensky's appearance at Vienna Parliament

The Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) sharply criticises the propaganda appearance of the Ukrainian president Zelensky in the Vienna parliament. 

 

The representative of a war party as well as of a reactionary, repressive regime is out of place in the democratic heart of a neutral country. What is needed is a policy of neutrality and peace instead of NATO war propaganda. 

Joint Statement of Communist and Workers' Parties on the one year since the imperialist war in Ukraine

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE COMMUNIST AND WORKERS’ PARTIES ON THE ONE YEAR SINCE THE IMPERIALIST WAR IN UKRAINE

We must strengthen the struggle against the monopolies and the bourgeois classes, for the overthrow of capitalism, for the strengthening of the class struggle against the imperialist war, for socialism!

One year has passed since the start of the imperialist conflict in Ukraine, which is one of the consequences of the tragic situation that has developed for the peoples after the overthrow of socialism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 

KKE: On the war in Ukraine and China’s “proposals for peace”

On the war in Ukraine and China’s “proposals for peace”" 

Their peace is being built upon the ashes and in the fire of the imperialist war

“Those at the top say:
Peace and war
Are of different substance.
But their peace and their war
Are like wind and storm.
War grows from their peace
Like son from his mother.
He bears
Her frightful features.”

— B. Brecht, From A German War Primer

KKE: Greece’s participation in the imperialist war in Ukraine must stop!

We do not choose a camp between thieves, our only hope lies in the struggle of the peoples!

The KKE addresses the people who want to live in peace, who can no longer bear to see other peoples and their lands being destroyed, who are concerned about the powder keg that has been storing up and the escalation of the imperialist confrontation in Ukraine.