Greece and the KKE

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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:51 am

There’s a common enemy both in Greece and Turkey: NATO, governments, and capitalism. Socialism is the future!

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The 30th anti-imperialist two-day camp of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) took place in Mitilini between 11 and 13 July 2021 and was attended by thousands of young people from all over the country, observing all necessary safety protocols to address the pandemic.

Delegations from the Communist Party of Turkey and the Communist Youth of Turkey also participated in the camp.



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From the heart of the Aegean, where imperialist conflicts meet and the refugees’ dramatic situation is unfolding, thousands of campers send a message against imperialist US–NATO–EU plans that massacre the peoples.

Young men and women from all over Greece took a rest with songs, theatrical plays, sport competitions, and cultural events. They stood up against the nationalism and the cosmopolitanism of the capital, the communicating vessels to promote capitalist interests, sending a message of internationalism, of joint action and coordination with the Turkish people.

This year’s anti-imperialist two-day camp highlighted the necessity of the peoples’ struggle against the imperialist plans and the interests of the bourgeois classes, in the path of peace and friendship among the people, which is the path of socialism. Only by following this path, the path of struggle for workers’ power in every country will the preconditions for true peace and prosperity of the peoples be formed.



The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, and the GS of the CC of the CP of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, extended a greeting to the central political event. The central speech was given by Nikos Ambatielos, Secretary of the Central Council of KNE.



D. Koutsoumbas denounced the participation of the Greek and Turkish bourgeois classes in the imperialist plans of NATO–USA–EU, to the detriment of other peoples and, among other things, he stressed that “The relations of competition and cooperation that characterize the relations of the bourgeois classes of Greece and Turkey are being developed within this framework. According to the phase that they are undergoing, they disguise their policy either as nationalism or as cosmopolitanism.

The workers in our countries are in danger, both by the sharpening of military conflicts and war adventurism that turn the people and the youth into cannon fodders, as well as their so-called imperialist peace, which prepares the new round of their wars, through the looting of the peoples’ resources and the destruction of the environment by the monopolies brought about by the notorious co-exploitation.



However, we are convinced that the two peoples can chart a different path of development! They can break this vicious circle of the capitalist way of life – as long as they believe in their power and aim at their real enemy! We will also contribute to this cause! Side by side with our comrades from the Communist Party of Turkey! Because our true enemies are not our neighbouring peoples! It is capitalism, the monopolies, and their imperialist alliances, such as NATO.



Today we have among us our comrades from the Communist Party and the Communist Youth of Turkey in order to jointly call for struggle, for our peoples’ right to live in peace and prosperity, as they truly deserve. For several years now, the Communist Party of Greece and the Communist Party of Turkey have developed a close comradely relation, both for the revolutionary regroupment of the International Communist Movement and for the joint struggle of the two peoples. We develop important joint initiatives and positions:



-Against any case of hot incident and war involvement.



-Against border violations and the questioning of International Treaties that have defined the borders in the region.



-Against the change of borders and the Treaties that define them.



-Against the huge military expenditure of the two countries, which set the scene for a war conflict.



-Against the competition for the exploitation of the hydrocarbons in the Aegean by the monopolies and the plans for their “co-exploitation” by the exploitative bourgeois classes of both countries and their powerful allies.



-Against the involvement of Greece and Turkey in imperialist plans, for the return of military forces from NATO and other imperialist missions abroad.



-For the disentanglement of our countries from the imperialist unions, to expel the US and NATO bases from our countries.



The communists in Turkey and Greece walk side by side in the path of proletarian internationalism. We are struggling together to let the message be heard everywhere: Our neighbouring peoples want and demand to live in peace, cooperation, and friendship, with equal, mutually beneficial relations. We struggle to create the preconditions to eventually overturn the rotten system of exploitation and wretchedness, that is, capitalism, in our countries. All the peoples of the world together can build the new society, socialism–communism!”.



D. Koutsoumbas’ full speech (in English) can be found here http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/GREETIN ... MP-OF-KNE/ .



The GS of the CC of the CP of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, noted that “it is the communists of Greece and Turkey who come together and draw strength from each other. And we will surely win!”. Kemal Okuyan’s full speech (in English) can be found here https://www.tkp.org.tr/en/international ... of-turkey/ .



The Secretary of the Central Council of KNE, Nikos Ambatielos, presented in detail the political developments in Greece and the region, as well as the problems that the youth face. He stressed that hope lies in the peoples’ struggle, that socialism is the future! Nikos Ambatielos’ full speech (in English) can be found here http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Speech- ... list-Camp/ .


A special moment in the central political event
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Right after extending his greeting at the rally, the GS of the CC of the CP of Turkey, Kemal Okuyan, awarded the GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, with the “Mustafa Suphi Friendship Award”. The award was named after Mustafa Suphi, the Turkish revolutionary and founder of the Communist Party of Turkey who was murdered along with his 14 comrades by the bourgeois state in 1921. On the event of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the CP of Turkey, its Central Committee took the decision to award a close comrade each year, to commemorate the founders of the CP of Turkey as well as the friends of the Party who have contributed in its struggle. The 1st award, of 2020, was decided to be given to Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of the KKE, for the close political collaboration and the decades long deep friendship between the two parties. The original award could only be presented now in person, due to the pandemic.

Kemal Okuyan also gifted to the GS of the CC of the KKE the portrait of Nikos Zachariadis, made by the communist artist İrfan Ertel. The portrait was part of the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the CP of Turkey, composed by portraits of a hundred of people who had an influence in the history of the Party and the working class movement in Turkey. The exhibition was presented at the Nâzım Hikmet Cultural Centre in September 2020 on the 100th anniversary of the CP of Turkey.

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https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Theres ... he-future/

More video at link

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STATEMENT BY THE PRESS OFFICE OF THE CC OF THE KKE
Solidarity with Cuba!
Imperialist provocations shall not pass!


Another imperialist plan against Cuba and its people is ongoing during the past hours. The USA, in cooperation with anti-Cuban mafia operating on its territory as well as forces within Cuba openly supporting their plans, are orchestrating protests in Cuba with anti-communist and anti-revolutionary slogans calling for the overthrow of the government. They also magnify and surround these actions with media hype through their enormous propaganda apparatus. They even call for an imperialist “humanitarian intervention” in Cuba, under the pretext of addressing the difficulties caused by the imperialist US blockade itself!

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The hypocrisy and provocation of the imperialists cannot be concealed. The shortages in Cuba are due to the 60-year inhuman economic blockade by the USA and the 242 additional measures taken by the Trump administration against Cuba, which the Biden administration continues to implement. The house of cards promoted by various bourgeois and opportunist forces internationally and in our country such as SYRIZA, MeRA-25, etc, saying that the election of Biden would allegedly mean a progressive shift in the US foreign policy, has collapsed.



The KKE unequivocally condemns the provocative imperialist acts aiming to overthrow the Cuban people’s gains and power. It condemns all plans for any kind of imperialist intervention in Cuba using the pretext of human rights. The USA, NATO, the EU have committed the most horrific imperialist crimes in Yugoslavia, Libya, etc, under this very pretext.



It is hypocrisy for them to talk about democratic rights while they daily trample on these rights in their own countries!



The KKE once again expresses its solidarity with the people, the government, and the Communist Party of Cuba. The gains of the Cuban revolution, the struggle of the Cuban people, and the internationalist activity of Cuba inspire thousands of our people that firmly stand in solidarity with Cuba. Cuba, despite the criminal US blockade, managed under pandemic conditions to develop 5 vaccines and send internationalist medical assistance to other peoples!



Today Cuba does not stand alone!

Imperialist provocations shall not pass!

Cuba will win!



Press Office of the CC of the KKE

12/7/2021

https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Solidarity-with-Cuba/
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Tue Aug 10, 2021 1:11 pm

The people are again victims of catastrophic wildfires. KKE: Measures must be immediately taken for the protection of people's lives

The criminal policy of all governments over the years, the lack of a comprehensive firefighting planning focused on prevention, the lack of necessary firefighting equipment, as well as anti-forest legislation, have once again led to a wildfire rampage in many parts of the country.

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The huge wildfires that broke out last week are still raging across the country. The members of the KKE, who are present at the areas affected by the fires, its MPs, and those elected to Regional and Municipal Councils were fighting at the fire fronts, by the people's side, who are suffering once again.



Cadres and members of the Party, who are themselves affected, called on the residents of the fire-ravaged areas, through their mass organizations and trade unions, to be at the forefront, to organize fire protection groups and to demand measures to protect the life of the people and the environment.



At the same time, in constant communications with competent ministers, governors, and mayors they demanded that all necessary measures be taken on the fire fronts in order not to endanger people, to save houses, forests and wooded areas. They expressed solidarity and demanded that no one was left alone, that immediate relief is provided to the victims, that the state provides the necessary support in order for these people to get back on their feet.



The General Secretary of the CC of the KKE visited the areas affected by the wildfires



The General Secretary of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, visited areas affected by the wildfires, such as Evia, and made the following statement to the media:



“The government bears criminal responsibilities for the incalculable disaster in all the areas affected by the wildfires. Especially in Evia, people have been left helpless to struggle alone, the air and ground means are completely inadequate and very serious questions arise about the priorities of state planning, as for other minor fires, such as in Sounio, multiple forces were mobilized.



The government should take all the necessary measures, to utilize all the available means with proper planning, in order to deal with the wildfires in Evia, which are still destroying a huge area”.



The KKE demands



Government support for all those affected, for as long as the effects of the disasters last.


Full and immediate compensation of the properties, without terms and conditions.


The suspension of operation of factories and other workplaces located in fire-affected areas until the necessary conditions of hygiene and safety are ensured. The payment of workers' wages in damaged workplaces. No harmful changes in their work.


The full meeting of the needs of the Fire and Forest Service in terms of permanent staff and means.


The abolition of the reactionary laws that hand over land and forests to entrepreneurial activity.


The abolition of the Law 4662/2020 which institutionalizes the underfunding and understaffing of the Fire Brigade, the privatization of forest firefighting, and puts the Fire Brigade and all Civil Protection bodies at the service of NATO. This is what sets the priorities that have nothing to do with the protection of human life, the people's property and the natural wealth of the country.


The integrated management and comprehensive protection of forests, by abolishing the unscientific segregation of prevention from forest fire extinguishment. This can successfully lead to fire prevention and the adoption of necessary measures in a timely manner.


The KKE calls on the people to turn their anger into a vanguard stance, into fight for their rights and struggle.

8/8/2021

https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/The-pe ... les-lives/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:11 pm

WE BID FAREWELL TO MIKIS THEODORAKIS WITH DEEP SORROW AND A ROUSING OVATION

The Central Committee of the KKE released the following statement, bidding farewell to Mikis Theodorakis:

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“It is with deep sorrow and a rousing ovation that we bid farewell to Mikis Theodorakis; a fighter–creator, a leader and pioneer of a new, militant art in music.

Impulsive, inspired and having a burning ambition to contribute to the people, Theodorakis managed to include the whole epic of the popular struggle of the 20th century in our country in his majestic work. After all, he was part of this epic.

At the age of 17, he joined EAM and shortly afterwards the KKE, taking part in the National Resistance. In December of 1944, he fought in the Battle of Athens, which resulted in a bloodbath. After the defeat of the Democratic Army of Greece, he and his comrades faced severe persecution by the bourgeois state. He was exiled to Ikaria and Makronisos, where he was brutally tortured. In the years that followed, he fought through EDA and the Lambrakis Democratic Youth for cultural rebirth, while he paid his illegal activity against the colonels' military dictatorship in 1967 with further difficulties, imprisonments, and exile.

The concerts he held abroad until the fall of the dictatorship and then all over Greece were spectacular. In 1978 he was the KKE candidate for mayor in Athens, while in 1981 and 1985 he was elected MP of the Party. "I lived my greatest and most beautiful years in the ranks of the KKE”, he had stated at the event organized by the Party in honour of the 90 years of his artistic and social contribution.

Indeed, Theodorakis never forgot the ideals of freedom and social justice, which remained unfulfilled. His work is a constant confrontation with injustice and defeatism, a clarion call for fight, for new struggles, for resistance, for uplift and hope. “Romiosini” is his response to the bitterness and frustration of a people whose dreams have not yet taken revenge.

This determination to live and struggle is neither shallow nor always easy. Sometimes it emerges through torturous reflection. Undoubtedly, Mikis knew how to speak out against any kind of injustice, just like he knew how to assert the belief that love, happiness, peace, and freedom are tangible. Regardless how vigorously he waved the “double-edged sword”, the “shining sword” of his music, he knew how to soften his song, touching with tender sensitivity all things good and beautiful in life and the world.

Mikis' music is endowed with all those materials that make up great art, the art that captures the pulse of its time and intuits the forthcoming events. The feeling, the spirit, the memory, and the experience of the struggling people are the source of his inspiration. “Whatever we made, we took it from the people and we return it to the people”, he used to say, and this was not false modesty. Theodorakis was deeply aware that the era in which he lived played an important role for his personal artistic achievement. He was fully aware that the actions of the people were reflected in the special way and the dynamism of his art, and that and his own participation in the popular struggle, although to some extent distracting him from creating, was its oxygen. “The artist who lives and creates within the struggle, secures a special place for his work," he said. His work is a shining example of the fact that great art is always political, whether its creator seeks it or not.

Theodorakis trusted in the people. He believed that the people have the power to conquer the loftiest and most beautiful things humankind can create in history. That is why, with enormous devotion, he created an art that elevates the people. Mikis not only exquisitely composed music for poems without betraying poetry, he recreated it and delivered it in a form that directly pierced people’s heart. “He brought poetry to the people's table, next to their glass and bread”, as Ritsos wrote about him. It is not only the unrepeatable discourse of his music with the poetry of Ritsos in “Epitaph”, which through the astonishing interpretations of Bithikotsis and Chiotis became a timeless popular mourning and hymn to death that fertilizes the future. Theodorakis succeeded in speaking with the finest poetry in the people’s soul, even through demanding and unusual to the people’s ear musical forms, such as those in “Axion Esti” by Elytis, in “Epiphania–Averoff” by Seferis, in the “Pnevmatiko Emvatirio” of Angelos Sikelianos, etc.

His prolific work includes almost all kinds of music: the melodic modes of folk songs, the ancient tragedy, the Byzantine music scales, the classical song, the symphonic music, the oratorios. Being versatile, multi-talented, and an intellectual, he also had a rich literary work. In the case of Mikis Theodorakis, the artistic genius met with a restless, alert, and creative personality that always felt the need to overcome himself. His music went beyond the borders of the country, as its language has the universality of the joint sufferings, the hopes, and the visions shared by all the peoples, all the humble people of the earth. The award of the Lenin Prize for Peace crowned his artistic and social contribution. In the future, it is with his own music that the peoples of Greece, of Turkey, of Cyprus, of the Balkans, of the Middle East, and of all over the world will sing together the song of peace.

Mikis liked to take long walks, to breathe “in the big streets, under the posters”. And there his music will continue to be heard, to inspire, to motivate, to educate. We will continue to walk listening to Mikis’ music until “the bells of social liberation toll”. But even when “the war is over” we will not forget him ... He will be present even when “dreams redden”.

Mikis’ memory will live on in us forever!

The KKE extends its heartfelt condolences to his family and wishes them strength.



Athens 02/09/2021

The Central Committee of the KKE

https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/WE-BID ... G-OVATION/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:06 pm

The attack of the Greek fascists on the communists
10/04/2021
Massive anti-fascist demonstrations are taking place in the country

From the editor.
Recently, our delegation attended the Greek Komsomol Festival (KNE). The bilateral talks also touched on such issues as ensuring security and countering the antics of reactionary gangs in the service of capital. A week after the end of the Festival, we see how relevant these issues are for “civilized” Europe. Yesterday, comrades from KNE received a message about a series of attacks on anti-fascist students. Several Komsomol members were injured and are in the hospital. However, the Nazis received a quick and decisive rebuff.

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Anti-fascist demonstration in Greece
Over the past few days, the Vocational Gymnasium (EPAL), located in Stavroupoli , the western suburb of Thessaloniki , Greece's second largest city, has become the focus of anger and outrage.

On the morning of Tuesday, September 27, a group of hooded fascists armed with bats left the schoolyard and, like an assault battalion, attacked university students who were gathering outside the school. The gathering of the latter was caused by an attack by the fascists on three university students, which took place a few days earlier in the neighborhood of the same school.

Similar events took place on Wednesday 28 September. However, this time the Nazis even used Molotov cocktails. However, the police did not touch them and instead attacked - with the use of chemicals - university students and members of the KNE [youth organization of the Communist Party of Greece - approx. Ed.] , who gathered in the same place and called for the mobilization of anti-fascists.

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Weapons seized from the Greek fascists

The school administration is responsible for what happened, since it allowed the Nazis to freely enter and leave the school along with their equipment and use the school as their base.

However, it is important to highlight the reasons for the emergence of fascist groups in these particular schools.

This EPAL school is one of the largest school complexes in Thessaloniki with over 1200 students. This complex is located in the heart of the western suburbs of Thessaloniki, surrounded by large neighborhoods inhabited primarily by the working class. The students of this school have been at the forefront of the rise of school mobilization in recent years. KNE has done a very great job at this institution.

The facts are that the same school leadership, which during these two days was simply idle, watching the attacks of the assault battalion from inside the school, last year, during the mobilization of communist and anti-fascist youth, even called the anti-terrorist unit to meet with the schoolchildren! Over the past year, students with their mass gatherings have succeeded in isolating and marginalizing fascist groups and at the forefront of organized mobilization.

Fascist groups are extremely irritated by the strengthening of KNE in these schools and, in general, by the militant attitude of schoolchildren and students in the region. Their discontent is also caused by the fact that thousands of young people gathered for the KNE Festival, which was held a few days ago in the same municipality. It is even more obvious that they, and the system they serve, are alarmed by the fact that young people and children from the working class and common people are breaking the shackles of vague disillusionment and beginning to explore the radical ideas of the KNE and the Greek Communist Party . They know that these young people, who are the new generation of the working class, together with revolutionary ideology represent an explosive combination that those in power see as an undeniable threat to themselves.

Thus, it is clear that fascism cannot die by court order. On the front page of the newspaper "Rizospastis" [the central organ of the Communist Party of Greece - approx. Ed.] on the historic day of the condemnation of the "Golden Dawn" [the most famous fascist party in Greece - approx. Ed.] said exactly about this: “We must not indulge in complacency! We continue to fight against fascism and the system that gives rise to it. "

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Anti-fascist demonstration in Greece

The Greek people and youth fought incessantly against the germ of fascism and its organized manifestation, the Golden Dawn. We managed to isolate them because it became the business of the entire popular movement, its unions and organizations. The KKE and KNE were at the forefront of this struggle. This is also evidenced by the events in Stavroupoli, where the active presence of KNE sets the tone for the suppression of any attempts to instill fear. KNE forces are at the forefront, so they can raise the issue of isolating such fascist groups in all major organizations in the city; they immediately took to the streets in large numbers in response to the attacks on the students. The day's rally silenced everyone who thinks to get out of the cracks into which the popular movement has driven them. Because fascism can be defeated on the streets only by targeting its core, the system itself,

From the editor. In a distorted and abbreviated form, these events were reflected in the "big" press. We recommend keeping track of publications on the website of the Communist Party of Greece. In particular, there has already appeared a commentary on what happened.

https://www.rotfront.su/napadenie-grech ... v-na-komm/

Google Translator

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Get the fascists out of the schools!

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In recent days, the Vocational School (EPAL), located in Stavroupoli, in the western quarter of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, has become the focus of anger and outrage.

On the morning of Tuesday, September 27, a group of fascist hooded youths armed with bats left the schoolyard and, like an assault battalion, attacked students who were gathering to protest outside the school walls. The protest was triggered by an attack by fascist elements on three students, which took place a few days earlier at this school.

Similar events took place on Wednesday, September 28th. However, this time the Nazis have already used Molotov cocktails. However, the police did not touch them, and instead began to disperse tear gas from school students and members of the KMG (Communist Youth of Greece), who called for an anti-fascist rally on the same day. The school leadership bears a huge responsibility for what happened, since it allowed the Nazis to freely enter and leave the school, carrying their equipment, and use the school as a springboard, attack and injure school students.

On Wednesday, September 29, in the afternoon, a large meeting of student councils, student organizations and labor unions took place. Under the slogan "Not in schools, nowhere, block the fascists in every block!" thousands of young people in the city of Thessaloniki again sent a signal about the isolation of fascist groups.

On Thursday, September 30, police prevented parent and union representatives from approaching the school, which the Nazis had turned into a staging area and tried to terrorize students and other nearby schools.

On the morning of Sunday, October 3, in the same district of Thessaloniki, a criminal attack was carried out with the use of chains, a stun gun and other weapons against members of the KKE and KMG, who at that time were distributing a party newspaper there. As a result of the attack, 4 members of the KKE and KMG were injured.

The ND government has a huge blame for this, because all this time the official line of its policy has been to justify the criminal fascist elements by equating them with the popular movement, by means of the vile theory of two extremes.

Nevertheless, it is worth considering the reasons for the appearance of fascist groups in these schools ...

These EPAL schools are one of the largest school complexes in Thessaloniki with over 1200 students. This complex is located in the heart of the western quarter of Thessaloniki and is adjacent to large working quarters. EPAL students in recent years have been at the forefront of the growth of school protests, at the forefront of the struggle for a better school. KMG members have done a great job in these schools. In fact, school officials have been idle for two days, watching the assault battalion leave their school, and last year, during student protests, it called in an anti-terrorist group to take out the students! Over the past year, students have held mass gatherings and have succeeded in isolating and marginalizing these elements and at the forefront of organized protests.

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The Nazi groups were extremely irritated by the strengthening of the KMG in these schools and, in general, the fighting spirit of the schoolchildren in this area. Their discontent was also caused by the fact that thousands of young people took part in the KMG Festival, which was held in this municipality a few days ago. It is becoming increasingly apparent that they and the system they serve are concerned about the fact that young people from poor families, children from the working class and the people are breaking the shackles of vague disillusionment and being exposed to the radical ideas of the KKE and KMG. They know that these young people, who are the new shift of workers, together with revolutionary ideology, represent an explosive combination that is dangerous to those in power. Thus, it is clear that fascism cannot die by court order. The words written a year ago on the front page of the newspaper are confirmed "Rizospastis" on the historic day of the sentencing of the "Golden Dawn": "We do not calm down! We continue to fight against fascism and the system that gives rise to it. "

The Greek people and youth waged a tremendous struggle against the snake egg of fascism and its organized manifestation, the Golden Dawn. They managed to isolate them because it became the work of the entire popular movement, trade unions and organizations. The KKE and KMG were at the forefront of this struggle. This is also evidenced by the events in Stavroupoli, where the active presence of KMG sets the tone for the suppression of any attempts to intimidate. The KMG forces are in the forefront of the struggle so that all mass organizations of the city fight for the isolation of such fascist groups. They immediately took to the streets, responding to the attack. The protest rallies have silenced all those who think to get out of the cracks into which the popular movement has driven them. Because fascism can be defeated on the streets, aiming right at the heart, at the very system that gives rise to it!

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International Relations Committee of the Central Council of KMG

10/05/2021

https://inter.kke.gr/ru/articles/--01524/

Google Translator
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:03 pm

Greek Government Mired in Controversy after Azov Battalion Fighter Speaks to Parliament
Posted by INTERNATIONALIST 360° on APRIL 8, 2022
Paul Antonopoulos

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Controversy gripped the Greek political scene on April 7 as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was invited by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to speak before Greece’s parliament in a virtual address, appeared alongside two fighters of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. Although the Greek government and its media arms attempted to whitewash the Azov Battalion in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, which failed, it actually ended up being counterproductive as it made Greek civilians aware to the fact that the neo-Nazi group were oppressing the 100,000+ ethnic Greeks living in Mariupol and its surrounding villages like Sartana.

Zelensky’s invitation to speak to the Greek Parliament was already mired in controversy as the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), left-wing MeRA25 and right-wing Hellenic Solution boycotted parliament that day. The appearance of the Azov fighters prompted MPs from the official opposition SYRIZA to storm out of parliament, despite the party initially being enthusiastic for Zelensky to speak before parliamentarians.

With Greek media and opposition parties, even those who supported Zelensky, blowing up at the appearance of the Azov Battalion, it took the Greek government almost three hours to try and distance themselves from the debacle, with government spokesperson Yiannis Economou saying: “including a message from an Azov Battalion member was wrong and inappropriate.

For their part, Mitsotakis and President Katerina Sakellaropoulou highlighted Zelensky’s speech but made no reference to the appearance of the Azov Battalion. SYRIZA, MeRA25 and fellow left-wing party KINAL (third largest party in Greece) are demanding explanations from the ruling New Democracy government. Even former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of the New Democracy party characterised the speech from the Azov Battalion fighter as “a big mistake.”

This scandal is now being moved to the forthcoming Conference of [Party] Presidents, and the opposition are seeking explanations as to whether the government was aware or agreed with Zelensky to give the floor to Azov Battalion fighters.

The appearance of the Azov Battalion in the Greek parliament should not be surprising when the Greek mainstream media were whitewashing the group to the point of even lionising them in interviews and claiming they had “nothing to do with the Ukrainian government” despite being a unit of the Republican Guard, which falls under the command of the Interior Ministry.

In addition, Manolis Androulakis, the last EU diplomat to evacuate Mariupol, deliberately lied to the Greek public and claimed in an interview that the “Azov do not kill their own”, i.e. civilians. This not only contradicts all available evidence from Mariupol civilians themselves, including from ethnic Greeks, but even contradicts Western liberal human rights organizations who have documented Azov Battalion crimes since 2014.With a Greek diplomat and mainstream media whitewashing the Azov Battalion, it is little wonder why Zelensky had the audacity to play a video message from the two Azov Battalion fighters claiming to be ethnic Greeks from Mariupol.

One of the biggest questions being raised in Greece at the moment is why did the two Azov Battalion fighters appear in Zelensky’s virtual address to the Greek Parliament to begin with when the Ukrainian president has always appeared alone during his tour of receiving the applause and adulation of European parliaments.

One of the supposed ethnic Greek fighters of the Azov Battalion identified himself as Mikhail. The other kept his face hidden. Speculation is rife whether the Azov Battalion member, who spoke in Ukrainian to the Greek parliament, is actually an ethnic Greek or not – but at this time it is impossible to verify, and more importantly, irrelevant to the fact that the Greek government has exposed itself to a massive humiliation at a time when its popularity is already dropping due to the declining economic situation and decision to send weapons to Ukraine.

As the Azov Battalion has the disdain of all Greeks – from liberals to the Far Right and the Far Left, except from the most radical neoliberal circles, it can be assumed that Zelensky attempted to foster a good image for the neo-Nazi group. The beginning of the war in Ukraine saw the pro-government Greek media engage in a massive whitewashing of the Azov Battalion, but as the weeks passed on, more and more testimonies from Greeks in Mariupol revealed the suffering they had endured under the Kiev regime and the Azov Battalion.

More revealing, ethnic Greeks from Essentuki, Chechnya and other parts of Russia were joining the Russian military to fight against the Azov Battalion in Mariupol, especially after news filtered that one ethnic Greek in the Russian military was killed, public opinion towards the Azov Battalion began to sway significantly. It can only be assumed that Zelensky attempted to restore the image of the Azov Battalion by presenting their own alleged ethnic Greek fighters.

What began as an exercise to tick off the Greek Parliament’s participation in Zelensky’s tour of Europe’s Parliaments, has now turned into a massive debacle. As Greece has a special responsibility for the 100,000+ Greeks in Mariupol, the country should not just blindly follow Western interests who have been silent about Donbass’ suffering since 2014. But alas, as New Democracy serve the interests of NATO and the West rather than Greek citizens and diaspora Greeks, it will once again have to deal with another blow to its already diminishing popularity.

https://libya360.wordpress.com/2022/04/ ... arliament/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:44 pm

Whitewash of the reactionary government of Ukraine and the Nazis of the Azov Battalion

The poorly set up and provocative fiesta prepared by the ND government in participation with the other pro-NATO parties, i.e. SYRIZA, KINAL/PASOK, and MERA25 to extend their warm welcome to the President of Ukraine, V. Zelenskiy, who addressed the Greek Parliament via teleconference on 07/04,turned into a deceitful effort to whitewash not only the reactionary government of Ukraine but also the Nazi criminals of the AzovBattalion.

The highlight of the provocation was a video shown during Zelenskiy’s speech including statements by “two Greek-Ukrainians from Mariupol” whom he described as “heroic fighters”, who, as they clearly stated, are participating “in the Ukrainian defence through the Azov Battalion”.

This development fully justified the KKE, which, from the first moment, had made it clear that Zelenskiy’s speech at the Parliament has absolutely nothing to do with the expression of solidarity with the people of Ukraine and had issued a statement that it would not take part in it. (https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/The-KK ... -a-speech/ )(see below)

08.04.2022

https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Whitew ... Battalion/

The KKE will not take part in the Parliament sitting where Zelenskiy will address a speech

The KKE Parliamentary Group does not intend to participate in the sitting of the Parliament where the President of Ukraine, V. Zelenskiy, will address a speech, as noted in the letter of the Party to Konstantinos Tassoulas, President of the Hellenic Parliament.



The entire letter reads as follows:

“Letter from the KKE Parliamentary Group

to the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr Konstantinos Tassoulas

Athens, 31/03/2022



Mister President,

Regarding the invitation and speech of the President of Ukraine, V. Zelenskiy, at a special sitting of the Hellenic Parliament on Thursday 7 April 7 2022, we would like to inform you that the KKE Parliamentary Group does not intend to participate in it.

The condemnation of the unacceptable invasion and the imperialist war waged by Russia on the territory of Ukraine and, at the same time, the solidarity with the people of Ukraine have nothing to do with any support to President V. Zelenskiy. This particular meeting bears exactly such characteristics, as Zelenskiy is part of the problem. He is head of a reactionary government that has aligned with the US-NATO-EU camp, which is also responsible for the war and the suffering of the people of Ukraine.

The Zelenskiy government —like the previous ones— emerged under conditions of extortion against the Ukrainian people, especially after the 2014 coup, with the direct intervention of the Euro-Atlantic camp. It is responsible for:

- The violation of workers’ and people’s rights, for supporting and cooperating with fascist shock troops, such as the Azov battalion which has been organically integrated into the Ukrainian army, the police, and all state structures.

- Legitimizing Nazi propaganda and rehabilitating Nazi collaborators in the Second World War as “national heroes” (!).

- Banning the activities of the Communist Party of Ukraine, persecuting communists and other militants, arbitrarily arresting and imprisoning the Secretary and other cadres of the Communist Youth of Ukraine, whose lives are currently in danger. We remind you that the Communist Party of Ukraine has appealed to the European Court of Justice against this decision, while a Commission of the European Parliament had found a serious violation of human rights by the Ukrainian government in Eastern Ukraine.

- Banning 11 more opposition parties.

- The violation of the rights of minorities living in Ukraine, including the Greek one.

- At the moment, one of the vice-presidents of the Hellenic Parliament, Giorgos Lambroulis, MP of the KKE from the city of Larissa, as well as other KKE cadres, such as former MEP Sotiris Zarianopoulos and Giorgos Maganas have been declared personae non gratae by the Ukrainian government, because they had visited Ukraine in the past to express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the persecuted communists.

Therefore, the KKE Parliamentary Group will not take part in the upcoming special sitting of the Parliament in which President Zelenskiy will speak. This is the greatest sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who, in order to emerge victorious, must dispose of both the Russian invasion and the Zelenskiy-type governments that drag them to the slaughterhouse of imperialist competition and wars.

We would take the same stance if the President of Russia Putin, the President of the USA Biden, etc. were invited to speak in the Parliament. We would like to remind you that representatives of the KKE have adopted a similar stance in cases where a political representative of an anti-popular government was “honoured” by a Municipal Council, a Regional Council or other state institution (for instance, when the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin was awarded the key to the city by the Municipal Council of Athens).”

01.04.2022

https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/The-KK ... -a-speech/

*********************************

Image

Greek Railway Staff Refuse to Service Trains with Military Aid to Ukraine
April 11, 2022

Workers in a Greek railway company refuse to help transport NATO military armored vehicles to the Ukrainian border

Workers of Greek railway company TrainOSE are refusing to aid in the transport of US and NATO military armored vehicles from a port in northern Greece.

The military vehicles arrived at Alexandroupolis port in the north of Greece and are supposed to be transported to the Ukrainian border. However, the workers are refusing to take part in the transport of these vehicles according to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

On March 30, three trains loaded with vehicles were sent to the western part of Poland according to the port authority.

“For about two weeks now, there has been pressure on the employees of the engine room in Thessaloniki to go to Alexandroupolis,” the KKE said in a statement.

According to the party, trade unions intervened after the workers, who were refusing to maintain trains transporting NATO military equipment, were threatened by the employer. The unions demanded that their country’s railway not be used to transfer US-NATO military equipment to neighboring countries.

“We condemn the employers’ threats against TrainOSE employees who refused to participate in the maintenance of the trains that are transporting NATO tanks from the port of Alexandroupolis,” the unions said in a resolution.

According to a budget proposal released Monday by US President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States would spend $6.9 billion to help Ukraine and support NATO member countries.

As per the White House, the funds would be used to “enhance the capabilities and readiness of US forces, NATO allies, and regional partners in the face of Russian aggression.”

https://orinocotribune.com/greek-railwa ... o-ukraine/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Wed Apr 20, 2022 10:23 pm

“A Historic Sham”: Zelensky’s Speech to Greece’s Parliament Sparks National Outrage, Opens WWII-Era Wounds
Posted by INTERNATIONALIST 360° on APRIL 20, 2022
TJ COLES

Image
April 10 protest by Thessaloniki-based rail workers against the transportation of US military vehicles

By inviting an Azov fighter to address Greece’s parliament, Zelensky opened the country’s historic wounds and triggered angry demonstrations that have shaken its pro-US government.


“Solidarity with the Ukrainian people is a given. But the Nazis cannot have a say in parliament.” These are the words of Alexis Tsipras, the former PM and leader of Greece’s left-liberal Syriza Party.

Tsipras was reacting to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s attempt to legitimize the Azov Battalion, an umbrella of far-right and fascist fighters trained by the US to battle Russians in Ukraine, as he toured foreign capitals to appeal for direct and indirect military support.

Zelensky stirred controversy with his April visit to Greek parliament in an effort to win support for his country’s anti-Russian war effort. Mariupol, home to a significant number of ethnic Greeks who have faced persecution from the neo-Nazi Azov Brigade, was a particular area of concern in Athens.

During his visit to parliament, Zelensky played a video featuring an Azov fighter who claimed that his relatives had fought the German Nazis in the Second World War. This was seen as a cynical attempt to whitewash the fascist organization. It was particularly painful for Greeks still haunted by the ghosts of World War II, when the country boasted a strong left that resisted the Third Reich.

Once the Nazis had been defeated and the British empire weakened, the US moved in to Greece with full-force to transform it into an anti-Soviet hub, terrorizing the Greek left and absorbing the nation into NATO. Since then, the Pentagon has viewed Greece and its neighbor Turkey as a strategic bulwark. Both countries act as logistical bridges between the pro-US Europe and the oil-rich Middle East.

NATO’s ongoing proxy war against Russia has brought these strategic interests into stark relief, triggering union strikes against the offloading of weapons headed for Ukraine and stirring a wave of public anger against Zelensky and his Greek hosts for their provocative publicity stunt in parliament.

The outrage has emanated directly from painful memories of Nazi occupation and the CIA’s sustained assaults on Greece’s post-war democracy.

🇬🇷 The Greek blocking weapons from being sent to Ukriane

“STOP fueling a war, go home NATO” pic.twitter.com/F8zQnbyxRG

— Sphithiphithi Evaluator (@_AfricanSoil) April 8, 2022


The CIA guides Greece’s post-war plan to “kill the communists”

In 1936, Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas became a pro-Nazi dictator with the support of King Geórgios II. Metaxas’ death in 1941 bolstered the Greek Communist Party’s (KKE) anti-Nazi resistance. The KKE had established ELAS, the People’s Liberation Army, to fight the occupying Nazis. Until 1943, ELAS was initially trained by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), a top-secret unit designed to train European paramilitaries. Indicative of the power of Greek leftism, ELAS’s political wing, the National Liberation Front (EAM), boasted 2 million members.

The British Foreign Office fought to restore Geórgios II, explicitly citing his anti-left credentials. Working with Cyprus’s fascist battalion X, the Brits set up a new army unit, the Hellenic Raiding Force, to hunt and kill ELAS members. The Syntagma Square demonstrations in 1944 against the British and fascists ended in a massacre of 25 protestors, including a young child. A year later at the Yalta/Crimea Conference, Stalin agreed to allow Britain and the US to occupy Greece in exchange for Bulgaria and Romania. In 1947, Britain asked the US for support to purge leftist ideologies from the Greek public’s mind.

Image
28 unarmed protestors were massacred by the Greek police and British army in Athens on December 3, 1944.

The Holy Bond of Greek Officers (IDEA) received help from the CIA and its predecessors, which worked with the FBI to send information on “leftists” to the Greek Embassy. In his book on post-War, US collaboration with Nazis, Blowback, Christopher Simpson reported that secret Pentagon papers revealed how the US “poured millions of dollars into IDEA … in order to create what it termed the ‘Secret Army Reserve’ made up of selected Greek military, police, and anti-Communist [officers].” Typical of the US imperial mindset, the “left” included everyone from right-wing republicans to religious minorities.

General Napoleon Zervas, the so-called Minister for Public Order, told US General William Livesay that the goal was “to kill the Communists.” US Ambassador Lincoln MacVeagh warned PM Dimitrios Maximos that US public opinion opposed “rightist excesses” against “non-subversive political opponents,” such as the imprisonment of 36,000 suspected leftists, including thousands of women – some of whom were nursing their babies. However, the US chargé, Karl Rankin, considered such measures to be “quite necessary.”

Dwight Griswold, the director of the USAID precursor known as the American Mission for Aid in Greece, described mass state child abduction from detained parents as an “unusually effective” psychological warfare device, particularly against the “Slavic minority.” With the left crushed, IDEA teamed up with NATO when Greece became a member in 1952.

“America is an elephant, Cyprus is a flea. Greece is a flea.”

In 1953, the CIA laid the foundation for Greece’s National Intelligence Service, the KYP, furnishing the outfit with computer-style technology to track the population. The KYP was so cozy with the CIA that the future CIA station chief in Athens, James M. Potts, referred to the Greek intelligence liaison, Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos, as “my son.”

Next, the CIA launched Operation (Red) Sheepskin, a subversive operation initiated through a mutual cooperation agreement between US General Lucian Truscott and his counterpart, Chief of Staff Konstantinos Davos. Over the course of a decade, Sheepskin and the KYP provided weapons and guerrilla warfare training to stay-behind rightist cells to pave the way for the coup that brought a military junta to power in April 1967.

“Greece is important to the United States because of its strategic location, its proximity both to the Soviet Bloc and to the Near East,” says a National Security Council (NSC) report from 1957. Also important is “its membership in NATO, and its ties to Yugoslavia through the Balkan Pact … Greece forms a land barrier to Soviet access to the Mediterranean.”

While granting the US and NATO basing rights, Greece was spending a third of its national budget on militarism. From the end of the war until 1958, US taxpayers had invested a whopping $1.1 billion to supply Greece with arms – around $11 billion in today’s money.

Under the NSC doctrine, the Greek Armed Forces were modernized with units inspired by the US Delta Force and the British Special Air Service. Daniele Ganser’s unparalleled history of NATO’s secret armies documents how, under the command of Field Marshall Alexander Papagos, the Hellenic Raiding Force (LOK, mentioned above) worked with the CIA to clear a path for NATO’s enduring presence in Greece.

Cyprus became a crucial issue. Given its close proximity to the Middle East, the US and Britain also used the island as a base. Turkey, a US ally whose population also suffered from clandestine NATO operations, lay claim to Cyprus. The Lyndon Johnson administration proposed splitting Cyprus to appease the Greeks and Turks. When the Greek poet and diplomat, Alexander Matsas, objected, Johnson infamously replied: “Fuck your parliament and your constitution. America is an elephant, Cyprus is a flea. Greece is a flea. If those two fellows continue itching the elephant, they just may get whacked.”

Three years later in 1967, Greek elites were paralyzed by worker strikes, averaging 24 per month. Four weeks before the presumed center-left political victory, LOK implemented NATO’s Plan Prometheus II: the rounding up of suspected communists culminating in the Generals’ Coup.

CIA to Greek military: “Shoot the motherfucker…”

The Minister of Coordination under the Center Union government ultimately deposed by the military coup, Andreas Papandreou, happened to be the ex-CIA son of PM Giorgios Papandreou. US intelligence considered Andreas to be too soft on the leftists in the coalition. Gustav Avrakotos, a CIA agent, advised his Greek military colleagues of Papandreou the younger: “shoot the motherfucker because he’s going to come back to haunt you.” Andreas claimed that he knew nothing of the existence of the CIA’s IDEA until they moved to seize power.

President Johnson’s National Security Advisor, W.W. Rostow, warned a committee in February 1967 that, against the interests of the US, the Papandreou-Center Union would likely win the forthcoming election. The main coup plotters were linked to the KYP – the CIA-run intelligence agency. A main coup plotter, one Brigadier Hadjipetrou, was head of the NATO base in Crete. Under the pretext that the Soviets had invaded Czechoslovakia, US “defensive” arms exports to Greece resumed.

Three years into the junta, the Nixon administration (whose campaign received money from the KYP regime) also reversed the US ban on weapons to Greece. The New York Times reported that “the Greek military Government will receive tens of millions of dollars worth of heavy weapons (sic), such as tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery and possibly jet planes, that have been withheld from them under a selective embargo.”

Despite PR-friendly words and timid actions to make it look as though Washington cared, the junta shored up America’s military installations. Listing numerous US and NATO air bases, an academic study notes that “[t]he advent of dictatorship … did not hinder the US’s base policy. On the contrary, it strengthened the presence of the bases, especially following the signing of the 1973 agreement on the homeporting facilities of the [Navy’s] Sixth Fleet in the bay of Elefsina,” in the south. Between 1967 and ‘69, the junta received over $100 million-worth of weapons, which circumvented Congressional export rules because the arms were supposedly “surplus.”

The junta terrorized the public with the usual atrocities: murder, disappearances, torture, and control over the national media. Despite the state terror, leftist and other progressive groups continued to struggle for democracy. Dedicated protests, the global energy crisis, and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus converged to weaken the generals’ grip on power. The regime collapsed in 1974.

The CIA transforms “an unreliable and troublesome partner” into a dependable ally

An undated US State Department review stated that if the right-wing New Democracy party won the 1981 elections, “Greece would remain stable and its Western ties would be consolidated.” If, however, Papandreou’s Panhellenic Socialist Movement won, “Greece would … become an unreliable and troublesome partner for the US.” Papandreou won but, to the relief of the US, followed a pro-Washington course.

By decades’ end, the CIA could tolerate its former employee, writing that despite the rhetoric, Papandreou “reached an agreement on continued US basing” and that his “promised radical Socialist solution” ended with “austerity and fiscal restraint.” A Congressional Research Service report notes that, “Although his previous tenure (1981-89) was noted for its anti-American rhetoric, Papandreou has said that he wants good relations with the United States.”

The US-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement 1990 allowed for the formal training of Greek forces by the US. Throughout the ‘90s, Greek forces benefited from America’s multimillion dollar International Military Education and Training Program.

According to the US Navy, “during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Greek Navy warships operated in the strait of Tiran alongside ships of the US, French, and Spanish navies” to enforce the strangulation of Iraq. In 1999, President Bill Clinton issued a kind of apology for his predecessors’ support for abuses.

In the same year, NATO bombed Serbia – the junction of an energy pipeline – under the pretext that an ethnic cleansing of Kosovar Albanians was taking place. Indicative of Greece’s logistical importance to the US, forces were transported “from Germany through the ‘Eastern Swing Route’ rail lines down to Thessaloniki, Greece[,…] and back up to Skopje,” Macedonia.

Fifty years of US-British post-War terror failed to break the popular spirit. Ordinary Greeks protested the prospective involvement of their armed forces, blocking British trucks and pelting service personnel with rotten food.

After 9/11, Greece “contributed to the ISAF mission,” the so-called International Security Assistance Force that occupied Afghanistan, as well as to Operation Active Endeavor; one of the US-NATO post-9/11 naval projects in the Mediterranean. By 2003, however 94 percent of Greeks were opposed to the US-led invasion of Iraq, so direct participation by their leaders was ruled out. But through NATO, the US continued to modernize Greek’s military.

For instance, the 7th Army Training Command has a Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Germany, which is broadly part of the US Special Operations Command Europe. These commands oversee the International Special Training Center for NATO member states. Annual training included “evaluating urban terrain, shooting through window glass, as well as climbing and establishing hides in buildings.”

“The culmination of efforts” by the US military to turn Greece into a hub of anti-Russian operations

After backing a coup in Ukraine in 2014, the US initiated Operation Atlantic Resolve: an EU-wide rotation of 7,000 personnel and weapons, including Apache, Blackhawk, and Chinook helicopters, Abrams, Bradley, and Paladin tanks, and a host of logistical equipment. Five years later, the US Army and Navy began dredging the Greek seaport in Alexandroupoli, in the east, in preparation for Atlantic Resolve. In 2021, Greece and other nations joined the US Special Operations Command’s International Division.

That year, the port in Alexandroupoli enabled “the movement of hundreds of U.S. Army equipment items for [Atlantic Resolve].” According to Pentagon’s Europe Command (EUCOM), the 598th Transportation Brigade, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and the 21st Theater Sustainment Command offloaded “nearly 400 vehicles and containers … to include tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and a variety of support equipment.” Col. Joshua D. Hirsch, Commander of the 598th said: “The current operation represents the culmination of all the efforts that the U.S. Army, along with our interagency partners at the U.S. Embassy, our allies in Greece and our industry partners, have put in place to leverage the capabilities of this tremendous port.”

At year’s end, Larissa Air Base in eastern Greece hosted F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, as part of Operation Castle Forge. The Operation is “designed to provide a dynamic, partnership-focused environment that raises the U.S. commitment to collective defense in the Black Sea region while enhancing interoperability alongside NATO allies.” Gen. Jeff Harrigian, Commander of the US Air Force Europe-AFRICA and NATO Allied Air Commander, described the area as an “absolutely critical region.”

In March, US Special Operations Europe tweeted that the 7th Special Forces Group and Naval Special Warfare Task Unit conducted a Joint Combined Exercise Training “with Greek Special Warfare units in Athens.”

Image
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis (lower left) watches as a neo-Nazi Azov Battalion fighter addresses the Greek parliament in a video segment after Zelensky’s speech

Zelensky brings Nazis to Greece for “a historic sham”

This March, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) announced that its 15 lawmakers would boycott Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech to the 300-seat Bouleterion (parliament). The parliament’s Vice President, Geórgios Lambroúlis, and one of Greece’s elected representatives at the European Union, Sotirios Zarianopoulos, had already been barred from Kiev for backing the Ukrainian Communist Party, which Zelensky has banned and whose Youth Leaders, brothers Mikhail and Alexander Kononovich, are currently imprisoned.

As The Grayzone reported, Zelensky’s SBU security services have escalated its campaign of terror against political opposition since war with Russia erupted, arresting, torturing and even occasionally assassinating officials, human rights activists and leftists considered “pro-Russian” or overly critical of Kiev’s objectives. Like the Greek KYP, the Ukrainian SBU has been trained by the CIA.

With Zelensky’s arrival to Greece’s parliament, the communist KKE denounced what it called “a reactionary government [in Ukraine] backed by the US-NATO-EU camp and like Russia is responsible for the drama of the Ukrainian people.”

Unlike the KKE, the leftish (but in reality, liberal) Syriza party initially welcomed Zelensky. Yet the screening of a video featuring a self-professed ethnic Greek Azov fighter spouting about how his grandfather fought the Third Reich was too much even for Syriza.

Former PM Tsipras of the Syriza party tweeted: “The speech was a provocation” and an “historic sham.” Meanwhile, Syriza’s former Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, who quit/was fired in 2015 for opposing his ruling party’s privatization and austerity agenda, issued an impassioned condemnation of the spectacle: “By bringing Nazis into the video call in front of the Greek parliament to speak on behalf of his government and by failing to make any comment on the Cyprus issue,” i.e. Turkey’s invasion, Zelensky “insulted the parliaments and the peoples of our countries.”

A majority of the Greek public joined the left leaders in expressing revulsion at Zelensky’s performance. Asked by pollsters this April for their impressions of the Ukrainian president’s speech before parliament, 50% of respondents described it as “very bad”, 15% called “bad”, while 16% said they were “neutral.” Only 11% of Greeks described Zelensky’s speech as “good” or “very good.”

Image
From a poll by Greece’s Public Issue, April 2022.

Anti-NATO protests and massive public opposition to arming Ukraine shake Greek government

In October 2021, Greece and the US amended their Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement to “deepen[] and expand[] on [their] partnership to maintain strong, capable, and interoperable militaries.” Soon after, Greek media reported: “A large number of helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles …, tanks, cannons, and artillery are expected to reach the Greek port near the border with Turkey in the weeks to come as part of an extensive military shipment that is of unprecedented scale.”

From Bulgaria and the German-based 21st Theater Sustainment Command, the US sent by rail forty-four M117 Guardian Armored Safety Vehicles to Greece, which arrived in November. The “Safety” epithet is propaganda. Jane’s reports that the vehicles were to be fitted with machine guns. It was expected that over one thousand vehicles would be delivered by April, half of which are meant for the Greek military. We are left to assume that the other half will go to Ukraine. The arrival of the US Army one month prior brought total US forces in Europe to 100,000: “a number not seen since 2005,” says Stars and Stripes.

PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the ruling New Democracy, the old CIA favorite, recently authorized lethal military equipment to Ukraine, declaring to parliament: “There can be no equal distances. You are either with peace and international law, or against them”—“international law” meaning support for US-British violations of international law. But the rhetoric has fallen flat.

Despite a barrage of pro-NATO propaganda that has ensured that 75 percent of Greeks condemn Putin, 60 percent are also critical of Zelensky.

Citing opinion polls, cultural professor Nikos Marantzidis commented: “Greek public opinion has a Russophile dimension, friendly feelings linked to history, a common culture based on Orthodoxy and for some, mistrust towards the West.” Given the history, it’s not hard to understand the roots of the latter.

More recent Greek polls suggest that 66 percent to 29 percent oppose their government’s decision to send weapons to Ukraine. Further, an overwhelming majority of Greeks believe their country should maintain a neutral role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The decades of torture, both physical and psychological, inflicted on Greece by the US and its fascist and quasi-fascist, post-War partners have insulated a large sector of the Greek citizenry against NATO’s propaganda. Instead of making the public cower and internalize their imperial subjection, Greeks have retained their traditional anti-war mentality.

As Athens brushes aside Greek popular opinion to join NATO’s war party, some Greek citizens are taking direct action to signal their disgust and concern over being used as pawns in the great game of power rivalry.

This April 10, Thessaloniki-based rail workers at the TrainOSE company launched a strike to protest the transportation of US military vehicles. Workers and the 12 unions backing them wrote: “We will not become complicit in the passage of the war machine through the territories of our country.”

Fierce protests in #Greece against #NATO and military aid for #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/e2fSMgPzjD

— Zrada2022 (@zrada2022) April 10, 2022


With the popularity of PM Mitsotakis and his pro-US New Democracy party plunging since Zelensky’s speech, his government has reportedly announced a halt to arms shipments to Ukraine.

The US may be attempting an end-around by sourcing Russian-made weapons from Cyprus. Local media report: “Americans specifically asked for Cypriot anti-aircraft weapons, as well as attack helicopters.”

https://libya360.wordpress.com/2022/04/ ... ra-wounds/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Tue May 10, 2022 1:31 pm

CP of Greece, Statement of the KKE on the 77th anniversary of the Great Anti-fascist Victory of the peoples
5/9/22 3:10 PM

On 7/5/2022, the Press Office of the CC of the KKE issued a statement on the 77th anniversary of the Great Anti-fascist Victory of the peoples, which notes, among other things, the following:



“The 9th of May inspires the peoples, it teaches them to have faith in their own power.

The USSR managed to achieve the feat of the anti-fascist victory thanks to the superiority of the socialist system, workers’ power, and the advantages of the socialization of the means of production and the central planning of the economy, which today are derided by the leaders of capitalist Russia (...) The workers’–people’s forces in Greece and all over the world will always commemorate the 20,000,000 Soviet soldiers and people that fell victims with admiration and respect.(...)

(...) The KKE is proud to be the lifeblood and leader of the heroic struggle of EAM, ELAS, EPON, and the other EAM organizations (...) Its thousands of members, with their heroic action and sacrifice on the side of the massively organized workers’–people’s forces, wrote some of the most important pages in their history and contributed to the victorious outcome of the war.(...)

(...) The history of the imperialist Second World War as well as the subsequent history prove that fascism is one of the forms of capitalist power; consequently, the anti-fascist struggle remains incomplete when it does not aim at the struggle for its overthrow.(...)

(...) The war was just only on the side of the USSR, which was fighting to defend the socialist power, and the partisan movements fighting against the fascist occupation, for the survival and prosperity of their people. It was unjust on the side of the fascist Axis and the US-UK Allies, who, despite their differences, were also competing for the safeguarding of their profits and their geopolitical interests.(...)

Faced with the grim reality of the Russian-NATO imperialist war in the Ukrainian territories and the imperialist conflicts that can spread or lead to a more generalized war and even to nuclear devastation; faced with the conditions of the upcoming new capitalist economic crisis, poverty, and unemployment, the only hope lies in the struggle of the peoples in the direction of the overthrow of capitalist barbarism, in the direction of the revolutionary seizure of socialist power”.

https://www.902.gr/eidisi/politiki/2946 ... oys-dynami

http://solidnet.org/article/CP-of-Greec ... e-peoples/
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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Tue May 24, 2022 1:46 pm

Thousands of people demanded: For the Greek-US Agreement to be cancelled, no participation in the imperialist war

On Thursday, 12 May, the ND government voted in Parliament for the new despicable Greece-US agreement that provides for the expansion of the US-NATO military bases in Greece.

At the same time, thousands of people in Athens, responding to the call of the Struggle Committee against the Greek-US Agreement on Military Bases, together with Trade Unions and mass organizations, held one of the largest and most militant anti-imperialist rallies of recent times. They demanded for the Greek-US Agreement to be cancelled - no participation in the imperialist war. Rallies were held in dozens of cities throughout Greece as well.

A large delegation of the CC of the KKE headed by its GC, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, attended the rally.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas,in his speech the same day in the Plenum of the Parliament, highlighted that the Greece-US Agreement on Military Basesis historically dangerous for the people, historically detrimental to the country's sovereign rights, and the responsibilities are historic for everyone that will vote in favour, but also for those who prepared it within the framework of the strategic dialogue with the USA inaugurated by SYRIZA and ending with the monstrosity agreement that the Prime Minister wants to bring to the meeting with the US president.

Commenting on the shielding of the country from Turkish aggression, he noted that “not even your supporters believe you”, and added that this is a historically completely bankrupt argument used by all governments to justify participation in NATO plans. He also noted that the country is anchored increasingly in NATObased on the interests of specific sections of the Greek bourgeoisie.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas underlined thatthe banner that the KKE hung on the Acropolisreading “No to war, no involvement, no to the bases of death” honoured the militancy of our people.

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https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Thousa ... alist-war/

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CP of Greece, Mass rally at the Ministry of National Defence against Greece’s involvement in the imperialist war
5/23/22 3:37 PM

Mass rally at the Ministry of National Defence against Greece’s involvement in the imperialist war


A mass rally was held on Sunday 22/5/2022 at the Ministry of National Defence of Greece, the finishing line of the 40th Marathon Peace March, which had started at 8 am from the Marathon Tomb, conveying the message of opposition to the imperialist war, Greece’sinvolvement in it, and the country’s entanglementin the dangerous plans of NATO.

The march was organized by the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE), which on the same day organized other mass anti-imperialist demonstrations in Thessaloniki as well as in cities in the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, Creta, Macedonia, and Thrace. Many demonstrations ended outside the military camps and US-NATO bases, thus underlining the people’s message that the military bases should close, that the country must have no involvement in NATO’s war, that we refuse to choose a camp between thieves.

The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, attended the massrally at the Ministry of National Defence and made the following statement to the media outlets: “Greece’s growing alignment with the US-NATO plans, under the responsibility of the government and the other parties, is leading our people to further energy poverty, high prices, and a food crisis. It is leading to a deeper entanglement in the imperialist war and, of course, increase the risks to the country’s sovereign rights. Their notorious ‘western values’ are completely rotten. The only solution, the only way out, the only hope lies in the coordinated struggle of the peoples.”

http://solidnet.org/article/CP-of-Greec ... alist-war/
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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Re: Greece and the KKE

Post by blindpig » Wed Jun 01, 2022 1:43 pm

CP of Greece, SEIZURE OF GREEK TANKERS BY IRAN: The “flag bearer” policy of the US-NATO plans poses great risks to the people
5/31/22 3:29 PM
Greece, Communist Party of Greece 2022 - No to the imperialist war in Ukraine!

KKE: The “flag bearer” policy of the US-NATO plans poses great risks to the people



On Friday 27/5, two large Greek-flagged tankers travelling in the Persian Gulf were seized by the “Revolutionary Guard” of Iran.

From the first moment, the seizure of the two ships was interpreted as retaliation against Greece, which on 25 May, rushing to respond to the US request, seized the Iranian oil transported by “LANA”, a Russian-flagged ship having a 19-member crew of Russian nationality, as it sailed off Karystos.

In a statement on the seizure of the two Greek tankers by the Iranian Armed Forces, the Press Office of the CC of the KKE notes that “The raid on and seizure of two Greek tankers by the Iranian Armed Forces is an extremely serious and dangerous development, particularly since —apparently— it took place as ‘retaliation’ for the recent seizure of Iranian oil by the Greek authorities, following US instructions.

The ‘flag bearer’ policy of the US-NATO plans pursued by the Greek government on all fronts, including the sanctions against Iran, exposes the country and the Greek people to great risks, as evidenced by the fact of the seizure of the Greek ships.

The government must immediately ensure the release and safe return of the crews of both ships.”

http://solidnet.org/article/CP-of-Greec ... he-people/

CP of Greece, Alexandroupoli must be a port of the peoples, not a base or a target of the imperialists!
5/31/22 3:17 PM

Greece, Communist Party of Greece 2022 - No to the imperialist war in Ukraine! Ar En Es Ru Europe

Alexandroupoli must be a port of the peoples, not a base or a target of the imperialists!

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On 27–29 May, the organizations of KNE in the universities of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Central Macedonia, and Western Macedonia, set up a camp in Alexandroupoli, sending a strong message against the transformation of the city into a launching pad for war and the involvement of the country in the imperialist war. Based on the new Greece-US agreement on bases, Alexandroupoli has been selected for the establishment of a new US base, while it is already being used for the transfer of NATO weapons and troops to Eastern Europe.

The events culminated in the political rally where Theano Kapeti, member of the PB of the CC of the KKE, delivered a speech. She underscored that “Any young person who is concerned and agonizing about the dangerous developments in the region and Greece’s involvement in them; who does not want to get used to the horror of war; who does not accept the sacrifice of the peoples for the profits of the few; who wants to struggle for a just and beautiful world, with the peoples living in peace and brotherhood, belongs right here, in the struggle with the KKE against the system that gives rise to poverty and wars!”.

The multifaceted events of the camp also included book presentations, concerts, and sports activities.

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http://solidnet.org/article/CP-of-Greec ... erialists/

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Greece: Crude Oil Transfer Causes Pollution on the Coast

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Pollution on the Greece coast was caused by a "non-standard" crude oil transfer. May. 30, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/@davesnewscom

Published 30 May 2022

According to local sources in Greece, a growing oil spill from a "non-standard" transfer from the seized Iranian vessel off the Greek coast.

On Monday, Greece's local media reported the growing oil spill caused by the "non-standard" and environmentally unprincipled cargo transfer from the seized Iranian vessel off the Greek coast. The news channel Press TV, a European country's media, released images of oil pollution in the Greek port of Chisto.

The report indicated that the spill had provoked anger from local environmentalists. "Even in the case of the spill of one-thousandth of crude oil during the transfer process at sea, the environmental damage will be incalculable," reported the Greek Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday.

The agency called for the removal of the tanker from the Gulf of Caristo and its relocation to a safe transfer area. The statement highlighted that the environment of Kharisto should not pay "another high price for the government's political choices and the tanker should leave the port."

The tanker, which was carrying Iranian oil, was seized in Greek waters under the pretext of violating sanctions; later, the U.S. ordered its cargo to be transferred to another vessel. The Iranian Ports and Shipping Organization also issued a statement urging the Greek government to comply with its international obligations in this regard.


Iran: The background of the Iranian result in the Greek ships and the involvement of Russia

Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the vessel's seizure and described it as "an example of international piracy," the responsibility "lies with the Greek government and its perpetrators." Iran's Ports and Shipping Organization also issued a statement urging the Greek government to comply with its international obligations in this regard.

The Iranian news agency Nour News, an affiliate of the Persian country's Supreme National Security Council, said Friday that Tehran would take "punitive measures" against Greece over the seizure of the Iranian tanker. On the same day, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized two Greek oil tankers for committing violations in the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, the Iranian news agency Tasnim announced that a total of 17 Greek ships were sailing in the Persian Gulf and warned of more seizures if Athens continued to receive orders from the United States.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Gre ... -0023.html

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