Indian communist leader Sitaram Yechury visited the KNE-Odigitis festival in Athens

Secretary S.Yechury greeted by Giorgos Marinos of KKE.

Source: 902.gr.

During his stay in Athens, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury visited the KNE-Odigitis festival which takes place these days in Greece's capital. 

Secretary Yechury paid a visit to the main exhibition of the festival- which is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE)- where he was welcomed by Giorgos Marinos, member of the Political Bureau of the CC of the KKE. 

The CPI (Marxist) leader also visited the international sector of the Festival. 

KKE General Secretary D.Koutsoumbas: "Tsipras has surpassed all limits of political deception against our people"

The General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas visited the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) on Wednesday and Thursday, where he attended a press conference. The General Secretary delivered an introductory speech and then he answered to the questions of the press. 

In his speech c.Koutsoumbas accused the SYRIZA-ANEL government and the EU for their antipeople policies as well as the New Democracy opposition and the other bourgeois parties. The General Secretary refered to the contemporary political and socio-economic issues, from government's attack against labour rights to various racist, anti-refugee incidents in the country. 

Here are some basic parts of c.Koutsoumbas speech:

KKE GS Dimitris Koutsoumbas: "Mr.Tsipras' promises are only for a few monopoly groups and the big capital"

Source: 902.gr

Attending a massive rally of PAME (All-Workers Militant Front) on the day of Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) inauguration, the General Secretary of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement:

"The promises of Mr.Tsipras from TIF regarding development are only for a few monopoly groups of the big capital which will see again their profits soaring, by giving a pittance, a plate of food to the most extreme poverty.

For all the others, for the working class, for the popular strata- which will continue to be tormented- the antipeople measure will continue to exist, cuts in wages and pensions will continue, small businesses will continue closing down and being subject to foreclosures and auctions, the wild unbearable taxation will continue as well.

The situation can go no further; the SYRIZA-ANEL government continues to please the big capital, the EU, the quartet and continues to bleed our people. It continues the same policy of the previous governments of New Democracy and PASOK.

Honoring the communists-political prisoners of Greece's "Dachau" - KKE event in Makronisos prison island

EVENT-VISIT TO THE MAKRONISOS CONCENTRATION CAMP.

The struggle of the communists-political prisoners inspires our struggle.

Source: inter.kke.gr.

A large number of people honoured the immeasurable sacrifices of communists and other militants that suffered in the concentration camp of the island of Makronisos by taking part in the event-visit, organized on 6/9 by the Attica Party Organization of the KKE and the Attica Region Organization of KNE.

Makronisos "hosted" thousands of militants who experienced unspeakable tortures on its few hectares. Bourgeois power demonstrated its most revolting face on this dry and barren rock in the Aegean Sea as regards its treatment of the militants of the national resistance against the Nazis-i.e. the militants of the National Liberation Front (EAM), the fighters of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), defiant members and cadres of the KKE and other leading militants. There, it demonstrated all its inventiveness regarding the torture methods it used to break the morale of the communists.

KKE's delegation paid respect to Ho Chi Minh and the heroic people of Vietnam

Info from 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

HANOI- A delegation of KKE, headed by the General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas, paid their respect to the historic leader of Vietnam and the country's Communist Party, Ho Chi Minh. Visiting the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum in Hanoi, GS Koutsoumbas led a wreath in memory of the legendary Vietnamese communist. 

The delegation of the Communist Party of Greece had the opportunity to visit the simple wooden traditional apartment which was Ho Chi Minch's residence for years, as long as the Vietnamese leader had declined to stay in the adjacent colonial presidential mansion. Nearby to the apartment, it is the shelter where Ho Chi Minh and the cadres of Vietnam's Communist Party were working during the US imperialist intervention. 

KKE delegation visiting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

A delegation of the Communist Party of Greece headed by General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas is visiting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, following an invitation by the GS of the CC of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Except from Secretary Koutsoumbas, the delegation is comprised by Dimitris Arvanitakis, member of the Political Bureau of the CC, Giannis Giokas, KKE MP and member of the CC and Giorgos Eltahir, member of the Editorial Board of 'Rizospastis'. 

During their stay in the country (8-15 July), the members of the KKE delegation will visit Hanoi and the city of Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon), where they will meet with the General Secretary of the CC of the CP of Vietnam, the head of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh city as well as other sections of the Central Commitee of the Party. Additionally, the KKE members will pay a visit to the Peace Committee of Vietnam, the Youth Organisation of Ho Chi Minh, the newspaper 'Nhân Dân' as well as to the Greek ambassador in Hanoi. 

Source: Rizospastis, 9 July 2016.

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

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

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

Dear comrades,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greek Parliament ratifies barbaric law on Social Security - KKE: The governmental policy destroys people's lives for the sake of monopolies

KKE MP Thanasis Pafilis.

In Defense of Communism © Report.

With the votes of governmental majority (SYRIZA-ANEL) the Greek Parliament approved on early Monday the monstrous law on social security and tax system. The legislation- combined of 166 articles- passed with the 153 votes of SYRIZA and ANEL (Independent Greeks), while 143 MPs voted against. A total of 296 legislators participated in the roll call vote held Sunday night; four were absent.

The "law-guillotine" sparked fierce reactions from labor and trade unions. The All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) organised a massive rally in Syntagma Square where thousands of working people expressed their condemnation for the governmental policy. 

In their speeches, the KKE MPs denounced the barbaric measures of Tsipras' government. Refering to the SYRIZA-ANEL government, the General Secretary of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas said among other things:

"Once more you prove that you are very good students of the previous governments, "capable" successors of the most reactive (situation) this country has lived through the neoliberal management of New Democracy, as well as the most rotten and corrupt PASOK's Social Democracy offered". 

[...]

Aleka Papariga fires at SYRIZA government: "You are the pillars of the rotten capitalist system"

Speaking at the Greek Parliament on Saturday, Communist Party's former General Secretary and current MP, Aleka Papariga unleashed an attack against the SYRIZA-ANEL government. "SYRIZA is the most recessive, conciliatory and degenerated thing appeared in the course of class-struggle" said Papariga in her speech during the discussion for the anti-people law on Social Security.

The former GS of KKE attacked Tsipras' government by saying: "you are the pillars of the rotten capitalist system". She stressed out that SYRIZA deceived the people with big lies, including false arguments such as that "the EU can become a union for the working people" or that, within the frame of capitalism, "another world is possible".

Aleka Papariga mentioned that SYRIZA has revealed it's true face and underlined that the government can only convince the people by using lies and deception.

KKE: "The SYRIZA-ANEL government surpassed the limits of political degradation; They fear people's anger and indignation"

In a statement regarding the Greek government's decision to submit the anti-people law proposal on social security to the Parliament during the upcoming weekend, the General Secretary of KKE D.Koutsoumbas said the following:

"The SYRIZA-ANEL government fears people's anger and indignation. They surpass every limit of political degradation. They suddenly arranged the voting of the anti-people package laws on Social Security, taxation and the additional measures they have agreed with the Quartet, during the weekend. 

That consists an act of overt authoritarianism, of enmity against the working-peoples movement and of all-around support to large employers. This (act) is proof that every such government, no matter how it appears, implements anti-people policies and resorts to actions that aim to manipulate the movement and our people. 

It also proves that the recovery, the debt's adjustment, the new 'success story', in Tsipras' way this time, and also every other thing the government is promising in order to 'sweeten the pill' of anti-people agreements with the institutions-ravens, have as a prerequisite only new barbaric measures for the people, without expiring date. 

Dimitris Koutsoumbas- The good (EU), the bad (IMF) and the SYRIZA-ANEL government

The good (EU), the bad (IMF) and the SYRIZA-ANEL government.

By Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of KKE.

Published in Ethnos newspaper, 10/4/2016.

Translation from Greek: In Defense of Communism.

The discussions of the IMF's executives, which were published on "Wikileaks" site, highlighted the sharp contradictions between the IMF, parts of US Capital on the one hand and the EU, particularly parts of the German Capital on the other, which (contradictions) are manifested on the occasion of the Greek program and the difficulties regarding the completion of the current evalution.

Because it is naive for someone to think that the publication of these discussions, at this time, but also what followed, such as the Merkel-Langarde meeting, have to do only with the process of the Greek government's negotiation and the attitude of technocrats like Thomsen and Velkulescu.

The causes are much deeper and are related to the debt management as a whole and not only of Greece, as well as the course of the eurozone itself.

KKE Secretary Koutsoumbas: Tsipras government's negotiations are a badly-directed soap opera

Speaking today at the Parliament, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas unleashed a fierce attack against the government. In a parliamentary discussion about the formation of an investigation committee regarding bank loans granted to political parties, Secretary Koutsoumbas accussed the government of trying to disorientate the people from the real problems.

The rottenness of the system cannot be cured with committees and half-measures.

Among other things, KKE Secretary mentioned in his speech:

Interview of the General Secretary of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas in the "Newspaper of Editors"

Abstracts from the interview of Dimitris Koutsoumbas, Secretary-General of the CC of KKE, in the weekend edition of the "Newspaper of Editors" (Efimerida ton Syntakton), Sunday 27 March 2016. You can read the whole interview here.

Translation: In Defense of Communism.

Q: The economic crisis and the refugee issue seem to be grist to the mill for the Far-Right. Almost everywhere in Europe, xenophobic and intolerant parties are strengthening. Why does it happen? Where is the Left? Why does it fail to affect the situation? Why it doesn't convince the working people?

Koutsoumbas: Today it is important to be widely realized that the so-called far-right, xenophobic but also the openly fascist parties are "brood" of the capitalist system's rotteness itself. They are created, used and connected with strong business interests and other centers of the capitalist establishment, having as an aim to divide the people in order to offer immunity to the same corrupt system- that creates poverty, crises, wars and refugees- as well as to enpower the authority of the big capital and the monopoly companies.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Brussels attacks: The murderous acts increase the dangers of new interventions and repressive measures

In his statement on the murderous attacks in Brussels, the GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, stressed that:

"We condemn these murderous acts in Brussels and of course we express once again our full solidarity with the Belgian people and the families of the victims. These murderous acts in essence serve, further develop and increase the dangers of new interventions, new wars, the development of terrorist activity, as well as repressive measures against the peoples, the growth of xenophobia and racism, phenomena that must be avoided not just in Belgium, but in Europe and the world as a whole. From this standpoint, there needs to be vigilance and readiness on the part of all the people's movements."

The positions of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the refugee-immigrant question

A Syrian refugee in Idomeni, Greece.
REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis.

Source: inter.kke.gr

The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, during the meeting of the political leaders called by the President of the Republic on the refugee question last Friday (4/3/2016) submitted a paper with the full and elaborated positions of the party on the specific issue.

“1.The KKE, from the very first moment of the sharpening of the refugee-immigration issue, attempted to explain its causes to the Greek people, which are the wars and interventions unleashed by the USA, NATO and the EU in the wider region of the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, in the framework of their competition with other forces, like Russia.

2. Needless to say the people who are victims of wars, interventions and reactionary regimes have the right to seek a safer life in other countries, despite the fact that a permanent solution to the problem can be found if the people of each country organize and struggle to overthrow the system that creates wars, poverty and refugees.