EU's stance is a 'green light' for Turkish aggression: Statement by KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas

The outcome of the recent EU Council and its failure to adopt sanctions against Turkey was sharply criticized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). After hours of decisions, the EU leaders proceeded to the usual verbal condemnations of Ankara's aggression in Eastern Mediterranean but deferred decisions on trade tariffs or arms embargo until they have consultations with the US President-elect Joe Biden and his administration. 

In Athens, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

Who will pay for the crisis? Lufthansa receives $10 billion state bailout and cuts 30,000 jobs

On November 14th we were writing that at least 90,000 people will lose their job by the end of December as a result of mass layoffs by major U.S. airline companies. Aviation giants, such as United Airlines and American Airlines laid off 32,000 workers last October in an attempt to blackmail the U.S. government for higher subsidies.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a serious impact on the aviation industry due to travel restrictions and a significant slump in demand among travellers. No travellers means less profits for the big airliners. In order to reduce losses, the monopolies of aviation proceed to a series of anti-labor measures, including pay cuts, furloughs and, of course, layoffs. 

Polish government's plan to outlaw the Communist Party shall not pass!

By Nikos Mottas.

It's been a long time since Poland, under the far-right government of Andrzej Duda, is driven into a very dangerous, anti-democratic path. With the EU's tolerance, or even encouragement, the authorities of Poland have unleased a persistent “witch-hunt” against the country's communists.

We have many times referred to the persecutions and legal proceedings against the Communist Party (KPP) and its newspaper “Bzrask”. Communist and Workers' Parties across Europe and the world, such as the KKE, have undertaken numerous initiatives in the international forums (e.g. EU Parliament) about these anti-communist persecutions and restrictions imposed by the Polish government. 

Venezuela Elections 2020: The Communist Party (PCV) is back in the National Assembly!

The parliamentary election in Venezuela is over, the people voted and the Communist Party (PCV) is back in National Assembly! Despite facing censorship and blockade by the media, the electoral alliance “Popular Revolutionary Alternative” (APR), backed by the PCV and other political groups, received 2.75% of the votes.

The Communist Party will be represented in the National Assembly by its General Secretary Oscar Figuera who has been elected a deputy.

With a low turnout of 30.5% of eligible voters, Nicolas Maduro's social democratic United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its allies swept the December 6th parliamentary elections and regained control of the National Assembly. According to the National Electoral Council, the PSUV-lead “Great Patriotic Pole” alliance has gained 68% of the votes and is projected to win at least 189 of the 277-seat assembly. 

John Lennon's Communist Manifesto

John Lennon, the legendary English co-lead singer of The Beatles and one of the most popular songwriters of the 20th century, was murdered 40 years ago, on December 8th, 1980 in New York City.

A vocal opponent of the Vietnam War and a sharp critic of British government's crimes in Northern Ireland, Lennon expressed himself politically through some extraordinary songs. Among these are “Give Peace a Chance”, “Working Class Hero” and “Imagine”. 

India: Communist Party member stabbed to death by right-wing criminals in Kerala

A 52-year-old activist of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was stabbed to death in Kollam district, in the Indian state of Kerala, on Monday 7 December. According to local CPI(M) leaders, the murderers belong to the nationalist, right-wing RSS paramilitary organization.

This is the fourth CPI(M) worker murdered in the state in the last four months.

CPI(M) state secretary in-charge A Vijayaraghavan said the killing was an attempt to disrupt peace ahead of polling for the first phase of today's local body elections.

Swaziland communists struggle for women's rights, denounce Mswati regime autocracy

In the tiny landlocked south African country of Swaziland (also known as Eswatini), the local Communist Party is fighting for democracy, workers rights and women's emancipation against the autocratic monarchical regime of Mswati III. 

In a statement published on December 1st, the Communist Party of Swaziland refers to the deepening crisis in the country, the treatment of women as objects of sexual exploitation and Mswati’s insatiable thirst for splendour. 

Greece: New orgy of governmental authoritarianism and police repression — Statement by KKE leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas

Almost 20 days after the brutal attack of Greek police against a peaceful KKE rally on November 17th, another orgy of police repression and violence took place earlier today in Athens, on the 12th anniversary of the murder of 15 year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos by a special police officer. 

Grigoropoulos had been murdered by special police officer Epaminondas Korkoneas on December 6, 2008. Korkoneas had been convicted to life sentense. However, in 2019, a court reduced his term to just 13 years and, on the basis of the new legal code introduced by the then SYRIZA government, he was ultimately released from prison on July 2019! 

Tudeh Party of Iran: Condemns the murder of nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh and opposes any foreign intervention

The Tudeh Party of Iran has issued a statement condemning the murder of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and expresses its opposition to any foreign imperialist intervention in the country. The full statement is the following:

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of the Research and Innovation Organisation of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, was killed in a terrorist attack in the Absardvicinity of Damavand on Friday, November 27, according to Iranian and international media. Fakhrizadeh, who was involved in research and development activities in the nuclear industry of the Islamic Republic of Iran, had been [a name] cited for several years in relation to the Iranian nuclear issue. 

Letter of the KKE to the National Electoral Council of Venezuela: On the anti-democratic censorship against PCV and APR

In a letter addressed to the President of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela Indira Alfonso, the member of the Political Bureau of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and MP Giorgos Marinos denounces the exclusion of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) and the Popular Revolutionary Alternative (APR) electoral coalition from public and private media coverage ahead of the December 6th parliamentary elections. 

Read more about the censorship imposed on PCV and APR here. The letter is the following:

Cuba and Vietnam celebrate 60 years of a genuine friendship

Shortly after the successful revolution, on December 2, 1960, the Republic of Cuba, under the leadership of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro, became the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish full diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

This week, Cuban and Vietnamese senior leaders celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which they described as exemplary.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Statement by the World Federation of Trade Unions

Today, December 3, is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The Secretariat of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) issued the following statement:

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, the World Federation of Trade Unions reiterates its support and solidarity with people with special needs and supports their demand for free, public and high quality healthcare which become even more urgent during the Pandemic of COVID-19.