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.

Refugee flows are a result of the interventions by US-NATO-EU and Turkey in Syria — KKE

During the last 48 hours, the tension in the Greek-Turkish borders in Evros has been escalated, with thousands of refugees and migrants gathering at Kastanies/Pazarkule border gate. “We will no longer keep the doors closed for refugees who want to go to Europe”, a senior Turkish official said as a response to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in Idlib Province, Syria. 

At the same time, the Greek government decided yesterday to suspend border crossing at Kastanies, sending additional riot police forces to the area. In a message, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote: “I want to be clear: no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated”, announcing the increase of border security. 

"This war must be ended!": Turkey's Communist Party (TKP) reacts to the Idlib massacre

At least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and 36 wounded in an airstrike in the Syrian province of Idlib, Turkish officials announced on February 27. The Turkish government has decided to open its southwestern border with Syria for the next 72 hours. 

On this occasion, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has issued a statement on the war waged by Erdogan's government in Syria. 

Greek-Turkish relations and the geopolitical competitions — Remarks by Eliseos Vagenas

The Sectoral Organization of Universities and Research of the Party Organization of Attica of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Regional Students Organization of Athens of the Communist Youth (KNE), in the afternoon of Tuesday the 28th of January, held an event on “The dangerous developments in the Greek-Turkish relations, in the throes of the geopolitical antagonisms and the anti-popular interests” at Panteion University.

Interview of the General Secretary of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas in "EfSyn" newspaper

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), gave a comprehensive interview in the weekend edition (1-2 February) of the "Efimerida ton Syntakton" (EfSyn) newspaper. 

The KKE leader refered to various interesting issues, including Greece's domestic political matters, the country's relations with neighboring Turkey, the sinful role of social democracy and the stance of the KKE towards cooperation governments. 

Below, you can read a translated version of the interview:

KKE condemns the provocative racist rant of neo-Nazi MEP Lagos

The EU Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the racist rant of the Nazi MEP – former Golden Dawn MP – Yannis Lagos who ripped a copy of the Turkish flag during his speech in the EU Parliament. 

“This provocation is aimed against both the Greek and Turkish people and is linked to dirty plans that the nationalists always serve” writes a statement published on KKE’s 902 portal. 

KKE and PAME express solidarity and support to the earthquake-affected people of Turkey

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) have expressed their solidarity and support towards the working class and the people of Turkey who had been affected by the deadly 6.7-magnitude earthquake. 

In a message to the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE expresses its support to the people of Turkey for the numerous victims and the huge damages caused, one more time, by the recent disastrous earthquake in Eastern Turkey.

Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey

The following article, published in "Morning Star" newspaper on January 20th, under the title "Neo-Ottomanism: the political economy of contemporary Turkey", was written by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Kemal Okuyan:

After failure in Syria, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is busy developing a second version of his neo-Ottoman project, which he first brought onto the political agenda in the second half of the early 2000s.

Joint Statement by the Communist Parties of Greece and Turkey on regional developments

Read the joint statement issued by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) regarding the latest regional developments in East Mediterranean as well as the relations between the two countries:

"The CP of Greece and the CP of Turkey with our common position seek to intervene in the dangerous and worrying developments taking place in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, in the Greek-Turkish relations, and caused by social, economic and political forces that want to draw the two peoples in bloody adventures for their own interests.

KKE-TKP: Greek and Turkish Communists join their voices against war and imperialist plans

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), within the context of their common initiatives for the interests of the Greek and Turkish people, have published a joint declaration regarding the dangerous developments in the Greek-Turkish relations and the broader region. 

The declaration has been published on 902 portal. 

Below, you can read some basic parts of the common statement, the full english version of which be published in a new article soon:

KKE: The Berlin Conference on Libya is not a process for the benefit of the Libyan people

On the occasion of the International Conference on Libya that is taking place in Berlin and the discussion about Greece's non-participation in it, the Press Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement which was published on 902 portal. 

The statement of the KKE reads the following: 

Turkey's Communist Party slams Erdogan's warmongering plans in Libya

In a statement issued today, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) condemns the warmongering plans of Tayyip Erdogan's government in Libya. 

More specifically, the TKP statement refers to the recent adoption of a bill by the Turkish Parliament which gives the green light to Erdogan to deploy troops in Libya.

TKP called for the cancellation of this recent bill and those which proceeded it and called on all armed forces in the territory of other countries' lands to return to the country.

The full statement published in soL news portal is as follows:

KKE calls the people to condemn the “criminal” Greek-US agreement on military bases

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on Friday issued a statement in which it sharply criticizes the  conservative government of New Democracy (ND) for "tabling in Parliament, on Christmas Eve, the Greece-US Agreement for expansion of military bases that was signed in October 2018 following the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Athens, in the framework of the 'Strategic Dialogue' began by the SYRIZA government."

"We will change this city, this country": Mass gathering of TKP in Istanbul

The second of the events organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), calling for "hope, organizing, and celebrating to win 2020" was held yesterday in Istanbul Bostancı.  

It was the second of the events organized in three major cities with the title of the Istanbul Bostanci Showland. The first gathering was held in Izmir on Saturday.

Before the start of the event, resisting workers from many sectors, including Bimeks workers, textile workers, teachers of Doğa schools, construction workers, metal workers, and cafe workers, came to Bostancı Showland by shouting slogans and holding banners.

"To win 2020": Communist Party of Turkey to hold gatherings in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has recently announced that it will hold three major meetings in Turkey's three biggest cities, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Turkey's communists have called on the working people of Turkey to attend the gatherings "calling for hope, organizing, celebrating to win 2020."

The major event in Izmir will be held December 21, in Istanbul on December 22 and in Ankara on January 4.

KKE slams EU's Pontius Pilate stance on Turkey-Libya maritime agreement

Reports by international media on Thursday state that the EU Council had reached a draft of its statement that the agreement reached by Turkey and Libya on their maritime borders violates international law. From its side, the Greek government and more specifically Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have tried to present the EU position as a diplomatic victory for Greece. 

“Turkey is isolated,” Mitsotakis said after receiving the overwhelming support of his EU peers for Greece’s opposition to the memorandum of understanding Turkey signed with the Tripoli-based Libyan government last month. He also cited support for Greece’s positions from other countries, including the United States and Israel.

Turkey: University student sentenced to 9 years in jail over a book and a cap with star!

A new incident from Turkey comes to verify the escalation of repression exercised by Tayyip Erdogan's AKP regime. 

According to a report by bianet.org, a university student has been convicted of "membership of and propagandizing for the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C)" because a biographical book about Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, the founder of the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (TKP/ML), and a cap with a star on it were found in his house.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "USA-NATO-EU do not protect Greece's sovereign rights"

“The doctrine which says that if Greece is the good child of NATO, USA, EU will, supposedly, protect its sovereign rights has been completely, demonstrably and historically bankrupt” said the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas during his speech at the Greek Parliament on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Parliament's Plenary regarding the voting rights of Greeks abroad, Koutsoumbas accussed both the New Democracy government, as well as the bourgeois parties of the opposition, that they are all committed to the doctrine of Greece's participation in the imperialist alliances of NATO and the EU. The KKE leader blamed the other political forces that pose a fake dilemma to the Greek people which is “either regression towards Turkey or conflict and military involvement”. This dilemma has been highlighted once again these days due to the “unacceptable agreement between Turkey and Libya”.

Scientific symposium on Socialism initiated by the Communist Party (TKP) held in Ankara

Photo: soL news.

An interesting symposium on Socialist future and planning began on Friday 6th December in Ankara, after an initiative by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP). 

The meeting takes place under the auspice of the "Academy of Science and Enlightment" at the premises of the Middle East Technical University (METU), with more than 300 scholars, university students and workers attending the event.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, was among the speakers of the first day. Okuyan pointed out that the only goal of scientific work in capitalism is the maximalization of profits, because its organization is in the hands of monopolies. In socialism, he said, the organization of scientific work will be transformed into a large network of all the working people.