Turmoil in France: Hollande's social-democratic government fiercely attacks workers' rights

Do it like Tsipras! The social-democratic government of Francois Hollande has unleashed a horrific attack against working class rights with it's anti-labour 'El-Khomri' law.

220,000 French workers have blocked roadways, burned police cars, and violently rioted in opposition to measures that limit pay and expand poor working conditions.

On Tuesday, French transportation workers took to the streets in a wave of weeklong strikes and protests in opposition to new Brussels-backed 'labor reforms' forced through by executive decree last week, without parliamentary approval.

KKE CC member and MEP Kostas Papadakis to address events in New York

The Communist Party of Greece's member of EU Parliament- also member of the Central Committee- Kostas Papadakis will be the major speaker of an event organised by KKE Friends Club in Astoria, New York. 

The event will take place on Saturday 21st May, at 7:30pm local hour, at Kefalos Society of America (20-41 Steinway, NY111105) in Astoria, having as a major subject the political developments in Greece and in the world as well as the positions of KKE.

Kostas Papadakis is also scheduled to attend the Left Forum, being the speaker in two panels sponsored by the site Marxism-Leninism Today. The panels will take place at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 524 West 59th in Manhattan, New York City. The morning panel is titled "Imperialists Collide: War and Refugees in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East" (Room 1.120, from 10 am to 11.50 am). The afternoon panel is about the "One Year of the SYRIZA-ANEL Government in Greece: The perspective of the Greek Communist Party (KKE)" (Room 1.113, from 3.30pm to 5:50pm).

Communist-affiliated 'Panspoudastiki' gains second place in Greece's student union elections

Thousands of students supported the lists of “Panspoudastiki KS” (PKS) in the student union elections held on the 18^th of May. They struggled alongside the members of KNE (Communist Youth of Greece) in order to shape a positive result of the student union elections. For third consecutive year, "Panspoudastiki" emerges at a national level as the second force in Greece's Universities and Technological Institutes. With more than 20% of the votes, "Panspoudastiki" confirmed it's significant role in the student movement.

According to the results (in 191 from 199 University Schools), "Panspoudastiki" gains 20.46% (10,042 votes). 

DAP-NDFK (of the conservative New Democracy Party) gains 30.27%, PASP (of the social-democratic PASOK) gains 10.76%, EAAK (Ultra-left affiliated with Antarsya Party) receives 8.46% while the SYRIZA-supported "Bloko" faces an electoral disaster with only 0.94%. Other powers of the left (supported by 'Popular Unity' Party) gains 7.43%. 

Interview with Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of Communist Party of Turkey (Rizospastis, 15 May 2016)

COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY

Discussion with Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of the Central Committee.

Source: Rizospastis / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

For the developments in Turkey, the activity of the communists, the difficulties but also the existing potential, we had the opportunity to discuss with comrade Kemal Okuyan, First Secretary of the CC of Communist Party, Turkey, and representative of 'Gelenek' magazine in the International Communist Review. 

- What is the political, socio-economic reality in Turkey? We know about the persecutions of party's members and yours personally. How does the Party react?

Turkey passes through a long and deep political crisis which, for the time being, doesn't include the financial crisis, despite the fact that Turkish economy is very fragile, with dissolution of state property and a continuous attack on the working class' rights, while there is a huge leak of wealth and high level of foreigh investors. The government evolves a generalized social attack, which includes the Kurds, the secular forces against religious fundamentalism. And, of course, we the communists are permanently the target. Attacks on our offices occur, (attacks) against our members with the accusation of insulting President Erdogan. I personally face prosecution in three different cases (one began on May 5th, but was re-scheduled for the coming September). The Party has agreed to intensify the offensive political struggle.

- What are the priorities of the Party this period?

'Captain-Yiotis' remembered: Charilaos Florakis, 1914-2005

Nikos Mottas writes about the legendary Greek Communist leader, partisan-fighter in WW2 and Greece's Civil War, long-time (1972-1991) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece, CHARILAOS FLORAKIS.

By Nikos Mottas.

It was the 22^nd of May 2005 when the tireless communist, the militant guerrilla captain, the popular leader, comrade Charilaos Florakis passed away. At 91 years of age, he was completing a life full of struggles; a life given to the ideals of a better world, for the perspective of Socialism and Communism. His life was given to KKE, to the Party he loved and gave everything.

The life and activity of Charilaos Florakis has been core part of KKE's history, of the most glorious- but also difficult- peoples struggles in Greece during WW2 occupation, during the Civil War as well as the country's modern history. Comrade Florakis, with his firm faith in the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, was never absent from Greek working class struggles.

Charilaos Florakis' political activity began in the pre-war decade of 1930s, as a member of the Communist Party's youth wing (OKNE) and later as a student and vigorous worker at the so-called “TTT” (Posts, Telegraphs, Telephone Offices). At an early age, as a teenager, he understood the signs of the ongoing class-struggle in the Greek countryside of '30s:

Introductory speech by the GS of KKE D.Koutsoumbas at the Balkan Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties

«The dangerous role of the EU and ΝΑΤΟ in the Balkans,  the monopoly antagonisms that bring imperialist war, refugees, nationalism and the response of the peoples» (Thessaloniki, 15 May 2016).

Speech by Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the KKE (Source: inter.kke.gr).

Dear comrades,

We thank you for your participation in today's meeting of the Balkan communist and workers parties, as well as for the contribution of all our parties to the maintaining of the Balkan meetings, which provide us with the opportunity at this level as well, at the level of the Balkans, to examine the current developments and to exchange thoughts and experiences from our activity.

Our experience confirms the constantly increasing necessity for the closer collaboration of the CPs, the collective examination of the developments, internationalist solidarity and joint activity and also the necessity to intensify the efforts to form a unified strategy of the communist and workers parties in Balkans and beyond.

We must develop these elements and of course each CP must intensify its efforts to establish solid foundations, to elaborate its political line and strengthen its bonds with the working class, to gain ground inside the labour-people's movement of its country.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "Tsipras and SYRIZA are fighting to save the rotten and exploitative capitalist system"

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of Greece's Communist Party (KKE) unleashed a fierce attack against the SYRIZA government of Alexis Tsipras during a public speech on Sunday in Thessaloniki. Speaking at an open public party-organised event honoring the 80th anniversary of May 1936 workers uprising, Koutsoumbas included a well-pointed attack against the social-democratic reformism and hypocrisy of Prime Minister Tsipras and the SYRIZA-ANEL government. 

Among other things, the GS of the CC of KKE said the following:

"Lately, SYRIZA delivers 'courses' of leftism and radicalism, like Mr.Tsipras did recently in the Parliament by saying, speaking to our Party, that "in today's difficult circumstances, left and radical is not to fantasize a virtual society, which you know that, even if you fight for that, isn't easy to come, but to 'bleed' in order to crerate- even slowly but steadlily- the circumstances when changes for the protection of rights of many will be able to thrive"!!!

But our difference with SYRIZA isn't that we are fighting for another, 'victual' society as Tsipras says, each party with different way.

Thousands participated in Athens' 36th Marathon Peace Rally in memory of Lambrakis

Thousands people of every age took part in the 36th Marathon Peace Rally in Athens, organised by the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE). The marathon march began from the town of Marathon in the early morning of Sunday and ended in front of the Defense Ministry. The participants walked through the Attica towns of Nea Makri, Rafina, Pikermi, Pallini and Agia Paraskevi, before reaching the building of the Ministry. 

The Marathon Peace Rally ended with a speech by Giorgos Lambrakis, Vice-President of EEDYE and son of assassinated politician and peace activist Grigoris Lambrakis, following with a music concert by Giorgos Sarris and his band. 

Below you can see some photos from the Peace Rally (Source: 902.gr).

CIA was behind the arrest of 'dangerous communist' Nelson Mandela, reveals former US spy

A former CIA agent has finally confirmed what the world has long suspected: the US agency was behind the arrest that put Nelson Mandela in prison for 27 years.

Two weeks before “unrepentant” 88-year-old Donald Rickard died, the CIA spy confessed to filmmaker John Irvin that his tip led to Mandela’s arrest, according to a report in the Sunday Times.

Rickard defended the arrest of South Africa’s most wanted man in 1962, which he says was necessary to capture “the world’s most dangerous communist outside of the Soviet Union.”

Rickard, who was officially working as US vice consul in the South African city of Durban at the time, said he learned Mandela was on his way to Natal, traveling between Johannesburg and Durban.

Thessaloniki: Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties from Balkan countries - The dangerous role of the EU and NATO in the Balkans

Being an iniatitive of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties from Balkan countries takes place today, Sunday 15 May, in Thessaloniki. The topic of the meeting is "The dangerous role of the EU and NATO in the Balkans, the monopoly antagonisms which bring the imperialist war, refugees, nationalism and the response of the people". An introductory speech was delivered by the General Secretary of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas while the KKE Member of the European Parliament Sotiris Zarianopoulos welcomed the foreign delegations on behalf of the Communist Party's local organisation which hosts the meeting.

Communist Youth of Greece (KNE): Statement on the decision of Athens Municipality to grant space for neo-Nazi gathering

In a statement issued today, the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) condemns the decision of the Municipality of Athens to grant a city park ("Gendarmerie Grove"/Alsos Horofilakis) for a gathering by the neo-Nazi 'Golden Dawn' party's youth wing:

"The decision of the Municipality of Athens to grant space at "Gendamerie Grove" to Golden Dawn for the organisation of the "Festival of Greek Youth" legalizes it's criminal activity. They give space to the Nazis in order to pour their racist and fascist poison.

If the Golden Dawn's Nazis want to organise a gathering, let them go to one of their leader's 10 properties; he is the richest political party leader.

The positions of Golden Dawn are positions which support the interests of the rich oligarchy and for that they are hostile towards the young people of the poor families. Golden Dawn, like a mastiff, serves the rotten and corrupt capitalist system which tortures the majority for the enrichment of the few.

KKE: Large political and cultural event to be held on Sunday 15 May in Thessaloniki

On the 80th anniversary of the 1936 workers' uprising, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) organises a large political and cultural event in the country's second largest city, Thessaloniki. The event- honoring the dead workers of the May 1936 Thessaloniki strikes- will take place on Sunday May 15th afternoon (19:30 local hour) at the city's ancient Roman market. 

The major speaker will be the Party's General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas. 

The event will include a concert comprised of songs composed by Mikis Theodorakis based on Yannis Ritsos' poetic masterpiece "Epitaphios". 

José Reinaldo (Partido Comunista do Brasil): "Coup opens a new phase of the political struggle in Brazil"

Source: Solidnet.org

The legislative-judicial-mediatic coup d’etat in Brazil is going on. On April 17, under authoritarian and farcical driving, the House of Representatives approved the admissibility of impeachment proceedings against the President of the Republic. In the coming days, the Senate welcome the decision, by simple majority, authorize the opening of the procedure and immediately result in expulsion for up to 180 days of President Dilma Rousseff from the post to which she was democratically elected, with 54 million votes.

By José Reinaldo Carvalho (*).

In few months, the Senate will took the predicable final decision, converted to the Court, under the Presidency of the Supreme Court. The traced and executed script in both congressional houses showed so far that there is a game of marked cards and the exercise of a relentless power of the majority made up of reactionary parties. There are not worth logic, rationality or the truth of the facts. It is an abominable counterfeit trial, led by disgusting politicians. A ritual used to give a false constitutionality to something that is already decided. . A judgment made as an expression of a coup, which does not take into account consistent legal criteria.

In recent days, another throw into unbelievable coup plot, aimed at medium-term future: the request of the Attorney General to the Supreme Court to investigate President Dilma Rousseff and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for "obstruction operation Lava Jato[1]". Invested of Torquemada powers, the attorney general has denounced Lula as "head of a criminal organization" in the operation of the so-called "petrolão[2]".

€600,000 for Hitler's political descendants: How the EU funds Neo-Nazi Parties

Here's another prove of how Imperialist institutions, instruments of the European bourgeoise, promote fascism and nazism. We republish here an article appeared on EurActiv (27 April 2016) which reveals that the EU gave 600,000 euros to the so-called 'Alliance for Peace and Freedom' (AFP)- member of which is the prosecuted for criminal activities Greek Neo-Nazi party of 'Golden Dawn'.

European Parliament funding of neo-Nazi conference rings alarm bells.

 By Daniel Mützel.

The far-right Alliance for Peace and Freedom (APF) party has received EU-funding to the tune of €600,000, highlighting the ease with which neo-fascist groups have access to European Parliament financing. EurActiv Germany reports.

“It is a terrible and disturbing state of affairs that we are helping to finance such activities,” Swedish MEP Marita Ulvskog told EurActiv.de, in relation to a financing scandal uncovered by the Expo Foundation. Expo, a Swedish anti-racism magazine, reported that the Parliament had granted €400,000 to a foundation linked to the APF and a further €197,625 in funding that will be used to organise a neo-Nazi meeting in Stockholm this summer.

"Europe's Day" or "People's Antifascist Victory"? KKE's intervention in the European Parliament

Information from 'Rizospastis', 11 May 2016.

On the anniversary of the Peoples' Great Antifascist Victory of May 9th, the European Parliament organised unhistorical "celebrations" about the "Day of the European Union" accompanied with a lot of anticommunism. That happened within the frame of EU's provocative effort to re-write History, to erase from people's memory, especially of the youth, the great achievements of the working class in Socialism, the irreplaceable achievements of the first socialist state in the world, of the Soviet Union and it's people, of the millions of communists who decisively contributed to the defeat of nazism and fascism.

The German social-democrat president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, managed, through using anticommunist slogans about "communist dictatorship", to show what bourgeoise and the politicians who serve her, fear most...

A response to the distortion of the historical truth and anticommunism of the EU was issued by KKE's MEPs. Addressing the plenary session of the Europarliament, KKE MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos said the following: