With statements and declarations Communist and Workers Parties from Europe and across the world have reacted to the situation in Belarus which remains tense since the presidential elections of August 9th.
Below you can read a collection of statements issued by CPs in face of the developments in Belarus:
Click here to read the statement by the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).
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Party of Labour, Austria (PdA)
Against interference and coup intentions in Belarus
In the wake of the presidential election in Belarus, there have been escalating clashes and protest for over a week. The clearly defeated opposition is accusing the government of electoral fraud while the re-elected President Lukashenko considers himself to be in office legally. It is impossible for us to verify how the election process was conducted and how the votes were counted. The view propagated by the opposition candidate Tikhanovskaya, that she actually won with about 80% of the votes, is in any case nothing but an assertion for which there are no clues or evidence - this variant appears implausible, even if one may doubt the official result in its extent. However, it was clear long before the vote that the opposition would not recognise the result in the event of defeat. This makes it obvious that this is a planned staging.
The protests on the streets of Minsk and other cities are real, however, although the EU media deliberately conceal the fact that there are also large demonstrations in favour of Lukashenko. In fact, the government certainly has considerable support among the Belarusian population, which is linked to the country's special path: Unlike Russia and the former socialist states of Eastern Europe, there was a milder form of counterrevolution and capitalist restoration here. The main industrial sectors as well as relevant parts of agricultural production are in state hands, which gives the government the possibility to provide a relatively high standard of social, educational and health services and a better standard of living than in neighbouring countries, but this does not mean that the political and economic regime should be whitewashed. At the same time, this is precisely what has been a thorn in the side of the US and the EU for almost 30 years: Belarusian state capitalism prevents the unimpeded appropriation of former people's and cooperative property by foreign monopoly capital, unimpeded and cheap access to the country's resources and labour, and within the country no new oligarchic class has been able to emerge. In this context, Russia also plays a double role: although it is in Russia's interest to have a political ally and a buffer state to NATO in Belarus, Russian capital is also ultimately striving to expand its investment and profit opportunities. Limited Austrian imperialism also finds itself in a more complex situation with regard to Belarus: Austrian corporations, banks and insurance companies are doing good business in Belarus even under the current conditions - and these are certainly dependent on the current regime.
For the imperialist great powers, however, one thing is inevitably clear: in order to exploit Belarus to the maximum, the Lukashenko government must go. That is why the US, NATO and the EU have long been working on a new "colour revolution", according to the Serbian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Central Asian, Latin American or Arab-spring model. They shamelessly use reactionary and fascist forces and in the end there should be nothing else but a coup, which is covered up with a lot of noise and smoke about democracy, freedom and human rights. But the "colour revolutions" have brought nothing to the people anywhere but chaos, exploitation, sell-out, dependency, in some cases terror and persecution, military aggression and civil war as well as the transformation into a deployment area of NATO towards Russia, China, Iran or for the next colour coup in a neighbouring country. And so it is no surprise that especially Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries became the spokesmen of US and EU imperialism in relation to Belarus. It is not without reason that the protests are planned, directed, organised and legitimised from these countries. However, it is precisely these states, where there are massive problems with democracy and the rule of law, where communists, trade unionists and left activists are persecuted and murdered, where minority, women's and LGBT rights are threatened, where right-wing extremism and neo-fascism are rampant, which have no political right and no moral basis for any kind of arrogance towards Belarus. The fact that the US and the EU are nevertheless succeeding in using a great amount of money, media propaganda, equipment and modern technology to instrumentalise a relevant section of the Belarussian population for their imperialist coup plans is, however, not to be overlooked. Even if it is mainly puppets of imperialism acting on the front line alongside contracted hooligans and neo-Nazis, it is obvious that many men and womenof the people's strata are also taking to the streets because they really hope for improvements - but they will be disappointed. They must be informed and enlightened about this, as far as possible, and organized for an independent and autonomous struggle for their real own interests.
Of course, a state-capitalistic, one could also say: quasi-social democratic authoritarian state cannot function in the long run, because it is a contradiction to the laws of capitalism - it tries to square the circle. The Belarusian system will not be able to survive due to external pressure, crises and the lack of possibilities for the people to develop and participate. But the solutions that imperialism and the opposition leaders are now offering the people are tantamount to subordination to the US and EU, to increased exploitation and inequality, existential insecurity, privatisation and social cuts - and ultimately to military conflicts. Capitalism has no other offer, because it is not interested in the fate of the people. It does not care anyway about democracy, human rights, security and wealth for all, but only about its profits, access to resources and transport routes, geopolitical positions and areas of influence, new military bases. These are the true perspectives of a successful "colour revolution" and regime change in Minsk.
For the Party of Labour of Austria it is clear: We oppose any foreign interference in Belarusian affairs, whether by the US, NATO or EU, whether by Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine or the Czech Republic. The imperialist attempts to destabilise conditions, political and economic interventions, sanctions at the expense of the population, mendacious and hypocritical media campaigns and the incitement of the population must be rejected, as must the concrete efforts to stage a coup. The Party of Labour stands for the independence and self-determination of Belarus, for the interests of the working class, the peasantry and the popular strata - these interests also include the prevention of an imperialist "colour revolution", violent escalation or even a civil war. The working class must stop imperialism's grip, while anti-imperialist solidarity is needed on our part. The Party of Labour is in solidarity with the communist forces in Belarus, which are currently fighting for the future of the country as the most determined opponents of imperialism, militarism and fascism. However, the interests of the Belarusian working class and people do not lie in perpetuating the current bourgeois-capitalist regime and its inadequate social and democratic conditions, but in the consistent revolutionary struggle for socialism. Only in this way it will be possible to escape imperialism as well as to meet the real needs of the people.
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German Communist Party (DKP)
Hands off Belarus!
Without any evidence, the US and the EU have not recognized the results of the elections, and support the opposition. This also applies to the German government and all parties in the Bundestag. Sanctions were demanded immediately.
This was preceded by years of campaigning by the USA, NATO, and EU against Belarus. The reasons for this are obvious. If it were possible to destabilize Belarus, and to get it into NATO’s sphere of influence, this war alliance would have come a great deal closer to its goal of completely encircling the Russian Federation. In addition, Belarus is the only former Soviet republic in which a large part of production has remained in the hands of the state, and social achievements have been preserved at least in part.
The opposition supported by the West, led by Tikhanovskaya, on the other hand, is calling for the privatization of a large part of state enterprises, which are to be taken over by foreign investors. Land is to be turned into a commodity, housing privatized, market norms and EU standards adopted. Cuts and privatizations in the health sector are planned, and the list of free treatments is to be greatly reduced. The usual demands of the IMF are being planned even before they are introduced.
All this can be read in publications issued by the opposition. There is the threat of a scenario like 2013/14 in Ukraine, with all the social, political, and economic consequences that could have been observed there. This also includes nationalism – the white-red-white flags of the demonstrators in Belarus were the colors of the collaborators with the fascist Wehrmacht from 1943 to 1945.
Of course, many citizens of Belarus who want to take action against problems and grievances in the country take part in the protests. Many of them are most likely not interested in the opposition’s programme outlined above. They do not want a second Maidan or an extension of NATO’s and the EU’s influence to include Belarus. Nobody will be interested in them if the opposition supported by imperialism succeeds with its strategy.
The interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus and the aggressive encirclement of the Russian Federation hugely increase the danger of war. We say: hands off Belarus!
We demand from the Federal Government:
- Recognition of the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus!
- No further interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus!
- No sanctions and no hybrid war against Belarus - the Belarusian people must be able to decide their own way!
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Union of Communist Parties-
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(UCP-CPSU)
Dear comrades and friends!
Once the wise leader of the Communist party of the United States, Gus Hall, said that true internationalism is tested by the attitude to the Soviet Union. He was absolutely right. It has been known since Marx that every practical step is more important than a dozen programs. The USSR was the embodiment of an age-old dream of humanity - even if imperfect, early, but socialism.
After the criminal collapse of the world's first socialist state, despair, poverty and degradation reigned in the post-Soviet space. In Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Tajikistan, a bloody conflagration of fratricidal interethnic war broke out. In the Baltic States, the neo – fascists who came to power staged a real apartheid – they divided the entire population of their "independent", "democratic" States into "citizens" and disenfranchised sub-humans-the socalled "non-citizens".
Belarus remained the only island of stability among the republics of the destroyed USSR all these years. People's wisdom and will brought Alexander Lukashenko, a patriot and creator, to power. Under his leadership the main achievements of Soviet socialism were preserved through the efforts of millions of Belarusians: the right to work and a decent old age, protection of motherhood and childhood, free medical care and affordable education. Today there is no financial and industrial oligarchy and criminal clans. Unlike neighboring countries, Belarus is not ruled by his Majesty the dollar. All this causes furious anger and hatred of imperialists all over the world.
A worrying week has passed since the election of the Belarusian head of state on August 9, 2020. The ruling circles of the United States are trying to instigate a bloody coup in sovereign Belarus with the help of their minions in NATO – Poland and Lithuania. In Georgia and Ukraine, we have seen the consequences of their intervention – the lynching of Communists, the destruction of monuments to Lenin and other Communist leaders, the banning of our symbols, and the glorification of Hitler's henchmen. And most importantly - a disaster for the working people.
Here and there, left-wing politicians are now talking about the "unjustified cruelty" of the Belarusian authorities in suppressing the creeping coup. Very strange. Do we, Communists, not know what turns out to be a misinterpreted "humanism"? Any relaxation of the counter-revolution ends with only one thing – the execution wall of Communards in the Paris cemetery of Pere Lachaise.
We, the leaders of the eighteen Communist parties of the former Soviet republics, at this difficult moment appeal to all the Communist and workers' parties of the world to provide allround assistance to our Belarusian brothers!
Join the campaign of solidarity with the Communist party, with all supporters of the socialist choice in Belarus!
We urge you to organize tough political pressure on the leaders of States that provoke chaos in the Republic of Belarus!
International solidarity is our strength!
Imperialism will not pass!
On behalf of the Communist party of the Russian Federation:
Chairman of the Central Committee Gennady Zyuganov
On behalf of the Communist party of Ukraine:
First Secretary of the Central Committee Pyotr Simonenko
On behalf of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova:
Chairman of the Party Vladimir Voronin
On behalf of the Communist party of the Republic of Abkhazia:
Chairman of the Central Committee Bakur Bebia
On behalf of the Communist party of Azerbaijan:
Chairman of the Central Committee Rauf Kurbanov
On behalf of the Communist party of Armenia:
Acting First Secretary of the Central Committee Yerjanik Ghazaryan
On behalf of the United Communist party of Georgia:
Chairman of the Party Temur Pipia
On behalf of the Communist party of Kazakhstan:
First Secretary of the Central Committee Toleubek Mahyjanov
On behalf of the Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan:
Chairman of the Central Committee Iskhak Masaliyev
On behalf of the Pridnestrovian Communist party:
Acting party Chairman Nadezhda Bondarenko
On behalf of the Communist party of Tajikistan:
Chairman of the Central Committee Miroj Abdulloev
On behalf of the Communist party of the Republic of South Ossetia:
Honorary Chairman of the Party Stanislav Kochiev
On behalf of Parties operating under special conditions:
First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Latvia
The representative of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Lithuania Juozas
Jermalavicius
First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Turkmenistan
First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Uzbekistan
First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Estonia.
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New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NCP)
HANDS OFF BELARUS!
Opposition strike are an obvious attempt at subversion by forces led by US/EU/NATO. From the claim of a ‘stolen’ election to the opposition strike the events in Belarus have follow the script of the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević occurred on 5 October 2000.
We call all people around the world to give their fullest and most resolute solidarity to the Belarus workers, peasants and communists in this hour of crisis.
Belgrade, 20/8/2020
THE PRESS BUREAU OF THE CC OF THE NKPJ.
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Hungarian Workers' Party
The Hungarian Workers’ Party considers that the Belarus people had the possibility on a free and fair election to decide who should lead Belarus.
The Hungarian Workers’ Party condemns all foreign attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus. We are convinced that all these actions have the aim to crush the independence of Belarus and to turn it into a country subordinated to the US and the EU.
Belarus under the leadership of President A. Lukashenko did not allow to sell the country to the foreign capital.
The leading capitalist countries are in crisis and now they want to survive by conquering new markets for their monopolies. Leading capitalist countries need the Belarus industry, the Belarus agricultural fields which currently belong to the Belarus people.
We, Hungarian communists know from our sad experience what capitalist „reforms” brought to the Hungarian working people. Belarus working people can only lose from capitalist “reforms”. We wish the Belarus people, the communists of Belarus to defend the independent Belarus, their own way of life.
We call our communist parties of Europe to say NO to the policy of the European Union.
Budapest, 16 August, 2020
Presidium
Hungarian Workers’ Party.
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Communist Party of Sweden (SKP)
THE PEOPLE OF BELARUS MUST CHOOSE THEIR OWN PATH
But how can the crisis be purely "national", when country after country has introduced and threatens to impose sanctions on Belarus? When the militarization of both Poland and Lithuania increased further? When Russia has made it clear that it does not accept the interference of other countries?
How can it be about the "right of the people to freely choose their leaders" when the same right is denied to people by country after country within the EU? When communist parties are banned from participating in elections?
The hypocrisy of political leaders knows no bounds: the conflict is not a "national crisis" and is not about "the rights of the people", but about geopolitics. More specifically, the conflict is about the sharper contradictions of the imperialist system and how the Western European and American monopolies seek new markets, new destinations for their capital, new transport routes and new raw materials, while trying to weaken their competitors.
These contradictions led to the conflict in Ukraine. It has led to brutal and protracted wars in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan and is now leading to the crushing of the Belarusian people in the inter-imperialist conflicts.
Belarus, the fate of which in recent decades has been linked to the interests of Russian monopolies and Russian capitalism, is now divided between the imperialist blocs in a world where the margins of capitalism are shrinking and conflicts are therefore sharper.
It is important that we make an effort to see through the ideological veil of fog that all the political representatives of capitalism strive to lay out and that we point out the real causes of the crisis: the imperialist contradictions.
Words are important, said the Left Party's representative in the Riksdag's EU committee when she criticized Stefan Löfven for not calling the Belarusian president's government a dictatorship. The attitude of the Left Party is characteristic of a bourgeois left party, whose main purpose and function is to conceal the real state of affairs. When the contradictions between the imperialist blocs intensify, they want us to believe that it is a matter of democracy or dictatorship.
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Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
Belarus: The rise of another Maidan
The campaigns against Belarus go back a long way, describing Lukashenko as "the last dictator of Europe", disregarding the popular support he maintains and the holding of elections –an annoying evidence that is discredited with the interventionist script: if the election results are to the liking of Washington, the elections are impeccable; if not, the elections have been manipulated by a government that must be overthrown. The North American and European obsession with Belarus comes from the fact that the country has preserved a good deal of the Soviet social conquests, such as healthcare and education, as well as public ownership of most of the country's companies. However, neoliberal plans and imperialist ambition are not new: sanctions and pressure from Western governments date back to the Bush years, and are part of the destabilization plans and violent changes of government that took place in Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Kazakhstan and other former Soviet republics.
In this new crisis, the involvement of Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic is notorious. It is also sparked off, in the background, by the action of the United States, with the "information" from Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (where corrupt opposition banker Viktar Babarika has even been described as a "philanthropist), the financing of the country's right-wing and liberal opposition, and the training of intervention groups to create chaos. The most extreme Western sectors have even called for NATO’s intervention in the Belarusian crisis.
The conservative media, along some left-wing forces that have given in to the propaganda campaign hatched in Washington and Brussels, have described the protests after the elections as peaceful, which does not correspond to reality.
Although other relevant issues require clarification (such as the presence of Wagner's Russian mercenaries arrested in Minsk, whose presence cannot be ruled out as being the result of a plan by the Ukrainian secret services), Western governments demand passivity from the Belarusian police, considering all protests to be peaceful despite the evident actions of Nazi groups and far-right detachments, complementing the protests of the liberal opposition to wreak havoc in Minsk and other cities. This has even led to the creation of groups of women dressed in white, thus replicating the campaigns against Cuba, trying to create another Maidan that justifies the application of new sanctions, political and diplomatic harassment. The goal is to eventually use this as a trigger to overthrow the Lukashenko government.
Despite the declarations of Washington and Brussels, which are always garnished with hypocritical democratic demands, the plan promoted by the United States and supported by the satellite governments of Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic has the ambition to repeat the successful script applied in the coup in Ukraine in 2014 –which brought a far-right government to power and unleashed repression against the Ukrainian left, as well as war in the east of the country.
The European Union collaborated and gave logistical and diplomatic support to the coup plotters of Kiev in 2014, supported a government with neo-Nazi ministers and did not condemn the subsequent Ukrainian elections held in a climate of terror, with far-right gangs lynching and murdering members of left-wing parties. The EU still shows no concern towards the humanitarian disaster its partners have turned Ukraine into, and it doesn’t condemn the regimes of Georgia or Azerbaijan either. Come 2020, it considers that the Belarusian elections have not been “neither free nor fair”, although it has refrained from presenting any evidence. The European Union is no longer credible and it cannot present itself as a judge for good democratic practices, especially because some of its member states, such as the Baltic countries, still deny citizenship rights to a part of their population.
The Belarusian crisis and the new Maidan attempt have nothing to do with freedom and democracy. In the background of it all are the United States, which continues its military deployment in Eastern Europe, harassing Russia, while at the same time it stimulates hotspots of crisis on the Russian borders, destabilizing inconvenient governments to complete the siege. The US movements have two goals: on the one hand, to break the political union between Moscow and Minsk, which intend to advance towards a unified state, sabotaging the Russian strategic project of resuming historical ties with the former Soviet republics, and eventually imposing a client regime in Minsk, like they did in Ukraine; on the other hand, to hinder the development of the new Chinese Silk Road, which has one of its main branches in Belarus to ensure transit and commercial development between China and Europe. The old miserable US imperialism has not been turned into freedom.
The Communist Party of Spain demands that the European Union not contribute to the destabilization of Belarus, and that the member countries accept the results of the presidential elections. The PCE also believes that the European Union must work to build a new climate of cooperation in Eastern Europe, without the harassing operations and plans to overthrow governments that are decided in Washington. At the same time, the Communist Party of Spain condemns the hypocrisy and interventionism of the United States in Belarus and in Europe: disregarding the rules of coexistence between countries and following the old imperial practices, they try to overthrow governments to impose client regimes and maintain their hegemony over the European continent.
