Union of Communists of Ukraine: On the War and the tasks of the working class

The following statement-analysis by the Union of Communists of Ukraine was originally appeared in Russian language in solidnet.org (27 June 2022). It is the first public statement of the Union of Communists for the imperialist war in Ukraine, while the Communist Party of Ukraine has not so far issued any communique. Both political forces have been banned in Ukraine and are currently facing multiple persecutions.

The full statement is as follows:

The general assessment of the nature of the war launched under the guise of a special military operation (SMO) by the Union of Communists of Ukraine (UCU) generally coincides with the Statement of the Communist and Workers' Parties of February 24, 2022, supported by the UCU.

KKE expresses full solidarity with the workers-people's struggle in Sri Lanka

On the occasion of the large demonstrations in Sri Lanka, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) pointed out on 9 July:

“The KKE expresses its full solidarity to the great struggle of the working class of Sri Lanka. It condemns the brutal crackdown against the mass popular mobilizations which consist a decisive response to the rise in prices, the shortages in basic goods, the generalization of the people's impoverishment. It supports the struggle of the People's Liberation Front (JVP), the country's communists, for the overthrow of the anti-people policy and the defense of the workers and people's rights”. 

Greek soldier punished because he publicly expressed anti-NATO views

A soldier of the National Militia Battalion in the Greek island of Rhodes was punished by his unit because he expressed views against NATO, USA and the EU, 902 portal reported. More specifically, the soldier published a letter in which he opposes Greece's participation in the dangerous US-NATO imperialist plans and the country's involvement in the Ukraine war.

In a statement, the Solidarity Committee for the Rights of the Conscripts strongly denounces the decision to punish the soldier, underlines the responsibility of the Government and especially the Ministry of Defence and calls for the immediate revocation of the sentence. 

Massive internationalist rally of the KKE in Volos sends powerful anti-imperialist message

A large political event, organized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), took place on Saturday afternoon in the city of Volos. Thousands of KKE members and friends, workers, young men and women, flocked the central promenade of the city, holding banners and flags and shouting anti-imperialist slogans. 

The event marked the culmination of the festivities of the 31st Anti-imperialist Camp of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) which takes place in the seaside village of Nies, Central Greece.  

Solidarity with Roofers Local 36 of Los Angeles, USA and Cliff Smith

In a statement, the All-Workers’ Militant Front (PAME) expresses the solidarity of the class unions of Greece with the Roofers Local 36 of Los Angeles, USA and the unionist Cliff Smith who are being threatened and blackmailed for leading the struggles and mobilizations for the rights of the working class in their region:

To Cliff Smith
Roofers Local 36 Business Manager
To Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers

Speech by Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the KKE, at the quadripartite meeting of the 8th of July

On 8 July 2022, a quadripartite meeting between the CP of Greece, the CP of Mexico, the CP of the Workers of Spain, and the CP of Turkey was held in Athens, at the headquarters of the CC of the KKE. The opening speech of Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of the KKE reads as follows:

“Dear comrades,

We are always happy to welcome the delegates of fraternal Communist Parties at the headquarters of the CC of the KKE. All the more so today, after the pandemic, which had limited our in-person multilateral contact.

KKE MEP: The Euro-Atlantic camp and capitalist Russia are complicit in war massacres

On Wednesday 6 July, a discussion titled “The relations of the Russian government and diplomatic network with parties of extremist, populist, anti-European and certain other European political parties in the context of the war” took place at the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. 

 

In his short and well pointed intervention, the MEP of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos stressed out the following:

British communists on Johnson government's collapse: "Downing Street change not enough"

"The rats are jumping the Johnson ship – but a change of Conservative leaders will not alter the government’s pro-big business, anti-democratic, racist and war mongering agenda", Tony Conway told the Communist Party’s political committee on Tuesday evening (July 5).

As the news of ministerial resignations broke, Britain’s Communists called for a united response from trade unions and campaigning movements to the cost of living, housing, climate change and food crises.

Ukraine court confirms ban on the Communist Party, orders its property's seizure

In what seems to be a further escalation of anti-communist terrorism in Ukraine, the Eighth Administrative Court of Appeal completed yesterday, 5th of July, the consideration of administrative case No. 826/9751/14 on the banning of the Communist Party of Ukraine.

"The court has satisfied the claims of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine: the activities of the Communist Party of Ukraine have been banned; the property, funds and other assets of the party, its regional, city, district organizations, primary centers and other structural entities have been transferred to the ownership of the state," a statement published in Ukrinform reads. 

Quadripartite meeting of Communist Parties of Greece, Spain, Mexico and Turkey to be held in Athens

A quadripartite meeting between the Communist Parties of Greece (KKE), Workers of Spain (PCTE), Mexico (PCM) and Turkey (TKP) is going to be held on Friday 8 July in Athens. 

The theme of the meeting, which will take place at the KKE Party headquarters in Perissos, is "We strengthen the workers-people's struggle against the imperialist war and capital's attack, for socialism". According to Rizospastis, all the four parties will be represented by their heads. More specifically, the participant comrades are:

KKE condemns the bomb attack at CPI(M) headquarters

On June 1st, unidentified cowards attacked the Kerala state committee headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Thiruvananthapuram. Police said the explosive substance was hurled at the AKG Centre, situated in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, by a motorbike-borne man at around 11.30 pm.

In a statement the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemned the bomb attack and expressed confidence that “the state government will investigate thoroughly and punish the culprits. 

Kononovich brothers courtroom appeal: “Our case is completely fabricated from start to finish"

The trial of Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich began in the Solomensky District Court of Kyiv on July 1st, without the physical presence of the defenders but via teleconference.

Under the pretext of false and groundless accusations, the two brothers, members of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine  were arrested on March 7th, 2022 and tortured in a Kiev detention center.

Since then, numerous Communist Parties and Youth organizations from all over the world, including the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) have demanded their immediate release. The EU Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has already submitted two written questions (first and second) to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs concerning the case of Kononovich brothers.

Cuba bids farewell to Major General Lopez-Calleja

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Friday mourned the death of Major General Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez-Calleja from a cardiopulmonary arrest at the age of 62.

On his Twitter account, the head of State expressed his condolences on behalf of the Cuban people: "I feel deep pain in expressing my condolences and those of the people of Cuba to the family and friends of Luis Alberto Rodríguez Lopez-Calleja. A revolutionary has left us, a man who served the Homeland and the Revolution in all its trenches"

The 48th KNE Festival to be held on 22-24 September in Athens

Under the slogan “The new generation with KKE for the big, the beautiful, the sensational” (N. Beloyannis)- Socialism, the answer in the 21st century”, the central events of the 48th festival of the Communist Youth of Greece, commonly known as KNE-Odigitis Festival, will take place on 22-24 September in Athens. This year's slogan is inspired by Greek communist hero, Nikos Beloyannis, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of his execution.

The festival, which is traveling in many Greek cities and towns throughout July and August, includes numerous political as well as cultural events.

Slavoj Žižek, an apologist of Capitalism disguised as "Marxist philosopher"

By Nikos Mottas.

"The least we owe Ukraine is full support, and to do this we need a stronger Nato [...]  Today, one cannot be a leftist if one does not unequivocally stand behind Ukraine” (The Guardian, June 21, 2022).

Who is the author of the above words? Is it NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg? Or German Chancellor Olaf Scholz? Maybe Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez? None of them. The phrase belongs to a celebrity of contemporary left-wing intelligentsia. The much publicized “Hegelian Marxist” philosopher Slavoj Žižek. 

Swedish Communists blast Sweden-Turkey agreement over NATO

Swedish PM M. Andersson and Turkish President R.T. Erdogan.

After extensive bargaining within the imperialist NATO alliance, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped weeks of resistance to Sweden and Finland’s ambitions to join NATO at talks on Tuesday ahead of the NATO summit  in Madrid, Spain. 

Erdogan emerged from the meeting with Nordic leaders having secured a 10-point agreement under which the two countries vowed to join Turkey’s fight against banned armed groups, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and to swiftly extradite suspects to Turkey.

The European Communist Initiative on NATO summit

Statement of the Secretariat of the Initiative of Communist and Workers Parties:

The NATO Summit, which is taking place on 29–30 June in Madrid, is a step towards the further escalation of NATO aggression against the peoples, but also the intensification of imperialist competition, which is currently manifested in the imperialist military conflict in Ukraine.

The NATO Summit seeks to update the NATO doctrine that is dangerous to the people and to strengthen the aggressive strategy “NATO 2030”. In the context of this strategy, NATO’s Rapid Reaction Force is being legitimized and increased tenfold to over 300,000 troops, focusing on the war zone in Eastern Europe. 

KKE: Statement on the NATO Summit in Madrid

In a statement about the NATO Summit that takes place in Madrid, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses out:

"The NATO Summit that will take place on 29–30 June in Madrid will be a spearhead for the further escalation of NATO’s aggression against the peoples and the sharpening of imperialist competition, which is currently manifested in the fierce military conflict in Ukraine.

The NATO Summit seeks to strengthen the aggressive “NATO’s Strategic Concept”, focusing on:

Workers, Peace Activists, Students denounce the 2022 NATO Summit

Under the slogan "Yes to Peace-No to NATO! Disengage from NATO and dissolve it!", the World Peace Council (WPC) denounces the NATO Summit which takes place in Madrid on 29-30 June. It is noted that the WPC participated in the large anti-NATO rally held in Spanish capital on June 26th. 

More specifically, the WPC stresses out:

The biggest war machine in history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is having its Summit on 29-30 June in Madrid, Spain. One more summit where the war hawks of 30 countries and their governments will ratify and develop their imperialist plans as a ’’world sheriff’’.

PCTE: Sánchez government responsible for the Melilla massacre (English, Español)

In a statement about the recent massacre of migrants in Melilla, the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE) stresses out:

Last Friday, 45 immigrants deceased and several more people were injured while trying to enter Melilla. The PCTE makes the Government of social democratic coalition responsible for this serious incident.

This has been the first attempt of mass entry in Melilla since the Spanish Government has changed its policy on Western Sahara in March, thus giving in to blackmail by Morocco.  

KKE MEP: The Melilla massacre is an example of EU's criminal policy

The EU Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) strongly condemned the criminal policy of the EU and its governments that resulted in the recent tragic massacre of migrants in Melilla. 

 

During a debate in the Committee on Political Liberties (LIBE), in the presence of EU Commissioner Ylva Johannson, KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis made the following intervention:

Swaziland: Mswati's security forces opened fire against Communist Party activists

The police in Swaziland shot live bullets at activists of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) who were protesting during a Sunset Rally held on Saturday night, 25 June 2022.

The rally was held at Mahwalala community, about 4 kilometres outside the capital city, Mbabane. It was the second rally of the weekend, following another one held on Friday night in Msunduza township, Mbabane.

Massacre in Melilla: A Barbaric Crime of Europe’s “Progressive” Imperialism

The images of barbarism and inhumanity in Melilla, on the Spanish-Moroccan border, are a modern crime of the so-called “progressive” imperialism of Europe.

The same forces that for centuries plundered the wealth of African countries and exploited its peoples as slaves, today kill hundreds of uprooted people in live transmission in cold blood.

The EU and the governments that cut the wages of Europe’s workers, impose barbaric anti-peoples’ policies, persecute those who resist and attack democratic and trade union rights within their own countries, also try to target the poor and oppressed of other countries, and cultivate racism to hide their brutal anti-workers’ policies.

OTAN no, bases fuera! Large, militant anti-NATO rally held in Madrid (VIDEO)

“No to NATO! No to the imperialist war” was the major slogan of the large anti-NATO rally held on Sunday 26th June in Madrid, a few days before the NATO Summit that will take place in the Spanish capital on 29-30 June.

The demonstration began with a gathering at Atocha station and later the protesters marched through central streets towards Plaza de Espana.

Members and supporters of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE) participated in a militant joint bloc, shouting slogans in both Greek and Spanish, such as “OTAN no, Bases FUERA”, “In Greece and Spain the people demand NATO and bases to go away”, “Viva KKE! Viva PCTE!”, etc. The protesters also expressed their solidarity to the detained young communists, Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich, who remain imprisoned in Ukraine.