A new Communist Party to be launched in Cyprus

A new Communist Party, with marxist-leninist ideological characteristics, is due to be launched in Cyprus. According to Christos Kourtellaris, Executive Secretary of the Communist Initiative of Cyprus (CIC), the new party with the honored hammer and sickle as its emblem aims to participate in the 2026 parliamentary elections. 

In an interview to "Kathimerini" (4 August 2024), Kourtellaris stressed that we are fighting for the goal of a society of socialism-communism in which the working class will have the power. 

Communists of Cyprus warn against any facilitation of US-Israeli imperialist plans in the region

In a statement (here in Greek) issued on 3/8/2024, the Communist Initiative of Cyprus warns about the dangerous escalation of the situation in the region and the involvement of the Cypriot Government in the warmongering plans of Israel and NATO.

“Following the recent developments in our region where the state of Israel has dangerously escalated the situation and with the ongoing genocidal bloodshed on the Palestinian people in Gaza, there is an intense mobilization in all ports and airports of the Republic of Cyprus. Evacuation of tourists from Cyprus and the broader Middle East, military and spy plans and ships coming and going, as well as 200 U.S marine soldiers landing and settling on the island”, the CIC statement points out.

 

Communists of Cyprus demand from the government to stop cooperation with Israel: No involvement in the massacre of Gaza

In a televised address on 19 June, the head of Lebanon's Shia Islamist group Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, threatened the Republic of Cyprus accusing it of allowing Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises.

The Communist Initiative of Cyprus (CIC) issued a statement (here in Greek) calling the government to end every cooperation with Israel and stop facilitating the Netanyahu leadership in the Gaza war. The statement titled "Cyprus is directly involved in the Gaza massacre: Every cooperation with Israel must stop" reads: 

AKEL: Cyprus' subordination to the US does not make it a pillar of security, quite the opposite

In a televised address on 19 June, the head of Lebanon's Shia Islamist group Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, threatened the Republic of Cyprus accusing it of allowing Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises. 

 

A day earlier, in a statement concerning the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus and the USA in Washington DC, the Press Office of AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) was pointing out:

 

Cyprus: The result of the European elections does not satisfy us, says AKEL leader Stefanos Stefanou

In a statement, the General Secretary of AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) Stefanos Stefanou assessed the result of the 2024 European Elections, pointing out that the outcome of the elections isn't satisfactory for the party. 

AKEL came second after centre-right DISY, gaining 21.67% of the vote but losing one of its two seats in the European Parliament. The big surprise of the EU elections in Cyprus was an unpolitical YouTube prankster, Fidias Panagiotou, who took a whopping 19.4 per cent as an independent candidate. 

Communists from Israel and Cyprus demand an end to the war in Gaza

Protest in front the UK military bases in Cyprus, January 14, 2024

The General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus), Stefanos Stefanou, met Friday, May 17, with MK Aida Touma-Sliman (Hadash), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Israel, with whom the situation in Gaza and in Israel in general was discussed. 

 

In statements made after the meeting, both Stefanou and Touma-Sliman called for an end to the war and the implementation of the resolutions of the UN on the Palestinian issue.

Cyprus: AKEL strongly condemns racist attacks against immigrants in Limassol

AKEL, the Progressive Party of Working People, strongly condemned Friday's racial violence against immigrants and refugees in Limassol, Cyprus.

On the night of Friday 1 September, far-right groups turned the city center into chaos, by smashing shops, throwing Molotov cocktail and chasing migrants. 

In a statement, AKEL called the incidents a "racist pogrom that consists a shame for the country", stressing out that the President and his government were responsible for the scale of the violence,

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.

Estonia's "Institute of Historical Memory" shamefully falsifies WW2 history, promotes anti-communism

In an effort to re-write history, the so-called “Estonian Institute of Historical Memory” (Eesti Mälu Instituut/ EIHM), an anti-communist institution, in collaboration with the German Embassy in Tallinn, has launched since 2018 a “Summer School” focusing on “the history of crimes against humanity and human rights violations during and after the Second World War.

Promoting anti-communism and the distortion of history, EIHM tries to equate the Soviet Union – the major liberation force in WW2 – with Nazi Germany!!! More specifically, in the website of EIHM's “Summer School” someone can read the following:

 

Cyprus: Far-right military leader Georgios Grivas to be honored with a museum

"Not a single euro for Grivas Museum", reads AKEL banner.

General Georgios Grivas (1897-1974), the notorious ultra-nationalist, fiercely anti-communist military leader whose name became synonymous with terrorism and treason, will be once again honored by the Cypriot government. Recently, with the votes of the governmental centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY), the Democratic Party DIKO and the social democratic EDEK, the Parliamentary Finance Committee agreed to release the fund for the so-called “Grivas Museum”.

In a statement issued on November 1st, the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) points out among others: 

Cyprus: The 23rd Congress of AKEL kicked off in Nicosia

Under the slogan "Force of struggle - Force of change", the 23rd Party Congress of AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People) began its works on Friday in Nicosia, Cyprus, with the participation of more than 1,200 delegates. 

The three-day Congress will conclude on Sunday 4 July.  

The first day of the Congress included the opening address by the member of the Political Bureau of AKEL Nicos Ioannou and the introductory speech of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Andros Kyprianou. 

Communist and Workers' Parties of the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and the Gulf hold regional teleconference

Twelve Communist Parties of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region participated in a Teleconference organized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). The Teleconference's major subject was "The Communist and Workers' Parties firmly at the side of the just struggle of the Palestinian people, in the struggle against imperialist war and capitalist exploitation".  

 

Apart from the host party, the KKE, the participants parties in the Teleconference were:

AKEL condemns Erdogan's provocative visit to occupied Cyprus

In a statement concerning the provocative visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in the occupied territories of Cyprus and especially to the abandoned city of Famagusta, the Press Office of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) points out:

"AKEL unequivocally condemns the provocative visit of Tayyip Erdogan to the occupied territories, the celebrations for the 37th anniversary of the proclamation of the so-called “TRNC” and the “picnic” planned tomorrow within the fenced off city of Famagusta.

Beirut explosion: Solidarity messages by the Communist Parties of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey

At least 100 people were killed and 4,000 were wounded after the massive blast that rocked Beirut on Tuesday. The whole city was shaken by the explosion and a mushroom cloud could be seen spreading over the port area. 

The Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) declared the 5th of August as a day of humanitarian solidarity and requested a prompt investigation for the incident. 

Statements of condolences and solidarity towards the people of Lebanon were issued by the Communist Parties of Greece (KKE), Cyprus (AKEL) and Turkey (TKP):

The U.S is using Cyprus as a vehicle to promote its strategic interests — AKEL reacts

The United States, the imperialist power which played a dark role in the 1974 Turkish invasion and division of the island, is back in Cyprus. 

The goal is always the same: the protection and promotion of the U.S. imperialist interests in the broader region of Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, in competition with other forces, such as Russia, China and Iran. 

AKEL responds to Erdogan's remarks at the UN General Assembly

Responding to the remarks made by the President of Turkey Rejep Tayyip Erdogan at the 74th U.N. General Assembly in New York, the Press Office of the CC of the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) issued the following statement:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated from the podium of the UN General Assembly Turkey's well-known positions on the Cyprus problem and its claims in the Eastern Mediterranean. The leader of the occupyingpower has even provocatively claimed that the Greek Cypriots are the reason why the Cyprus problem has not been resolved for 50 years.

"Farewell comrade" - Cyprus paid last respect to communist leader Demetris Christofias

Thousands of cypriots, men and women of every age, attended the funeral of the former President of Cyprus and long-time General Secretary of AKEL, Demetris Christofias, who died on Friday at the age of 72. 

The funeral, which took place in Strovolos, dictrict of Nicosia, was also attended by numerous officials, including the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, members of the Cypriot government, as well as representatives of political parties from Cyprus and Greece. 

"Greece's communists will always remember him"- KKE on the passing of D. Christofias

Regarding the passing away of the former General Secretary of the CC of AKEL, also former President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement of condolences. 

More specifically, the statement of the CC of the KKE points out:

"Comrade Demetris Christofias was born in August 1946 in the village of Kato Dikomo of Keryneia district and as a pupil he joined action. From an early age he believed in the right and served the interests of the cypriot people in all phases of his life. 

Former President of Cyprus and long-time AKEL leader Demetris Christofias dies at 72

Demetris Christofias.

Demetris Christofias, the former President of the Republic of Cyprus and long-time General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL party, has died in Nicosia. He was 72 years old. 

Doctors had said earlier that his health condition was extremely critical and irreversible.

Born in 1946, Christofias studied in Moscow, in the Soviet Union, at the Institute of Social Sciences, Academy of Social Sciences, from which he received a degree in history.  

92 years since the foundation of the Cypriot Communist Party - Statement by AKEL

The 19th of August marked the 92nd anniversary since the foundation of the Communist Party of Cyprus which in 1941 was renamed as AKEL (Progressive Party of Working People). 

On the occasion of the Party's foundation, the Press Office of the Central Committee of AKEL issued the following statement:

"The foundation of the Communist Party of Cyprus in Limassol on 19 August 1926 was and remains a landmark in our country’s history. From that day onwards, the working people of Cyprus acquired their own Party. 

The revolutionary message conveyed throughout Cypriot society by the Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC) is summarized in the following reference of its Program: "People are no longer dividedinto Greeks and Turks to fight amongst themselves about the greatness of their homelands, but dividedinto the poor and the wealthy." This is the class and internationalist content of the ideology that has been guiding the CPC-AKEL for 92 years.