Contribution of the New Communist Party of the Netherlands

Dear comrades,

We thank the KKE again for taking another initiative and organisation of a international communist meeting. Meetings like this are very necessary to discuss and analyze and develope common points of view and make proper analyzes about the capitalist developements in our countries and elswere, to make it possible to fight back more effective and united. We underline the absolute necessity to unite our efforts and activities and make our jount activities more concrete and in depth.

Our class enemies know very well how to survive till now. They learnes how to overcome - at least temporarly - their problems and contradictions. Although they are better equiped then we - as we can see in this E.U.-building in the heart of Brussels - we also have to find better common platforms to inform and develope common analyzes and actions. As many, broad and stable as possible.

Comrades

I am proud to tell you - as the comrade of Luxembourg also did - that last weekend, April 9 and 10, the 6th yearly meeting of communist parties of Germany (DKP), Luxembourg (KPL), Belgium (PTB) and the Netherlands (NCPN) took place, this time for the second time in Luxembourg. The start of these meetings was prepared in Athens during a few International Meetings that took place in Greece at that time. The child was born in the bus from Athens to Thessaloniki. I tell you this to underline the importance of the international meetings.

These four parties also organized already a few common activities - as the Luxmbourg comrade already told you. So even as these are small steps we see progress. Especially because of the fact we are able to deepen our common analyzes and understand each other better. Thats why we see progress and are willing to continue our common activities. We already took the decission to start organizing the 7th meeting although the preparation takes a lot of time and energy. On the other hand these preparatorial meetings are also developing better understanding.

Comrades

We are part of a very important period in the history of Europe: the establishment of a new imperialist Europe under the leadership of Germany as the centre. We realize the specific responsibilty of the communist parties in our four countries. Although we are not big and strong parties we will try to find ways in orgaizing the working classes in our own countries. Exchange of ideas, experiences and facts is helpfull.

Capitalism is in a deep structural system crisis of overproduction sinds many decades. But only a few years ago this crisis came fully to the surface. Capitalism is not anymore able to overcome this crisis easely.

Now more than 30 years of social partnership comes to an end. The area of social-democrat solutions will come to an end. Contradictions will grow rapidely now. There will not be much space anymore for these type of solutions. Right and left will become more clear and will fight more openly now capitalism is not longer able to give the people what they want. So we expect structural social-economical changes. Also harder ideological clashes will take place.

Not only the imperialist forces are trying to redevide the world by imperialist wars, they also will have to attack their own working classes more havely than they did last 30-40 years. The NCPN is aware of strong tendencies to brake open the ''social contract'' that was established at the end of World War II as a result of the successes of the former USSR and the growth of the communist parties at that time. Now the balance of forces did change deep social and economical changes take place.

Comrades

In the Netherlands we are waiting for the measures to lower social and labour costs. The Dutch government at the time is a little bit hindered by the complex polical situation in our country. They have not enough polical basis to force the measures. But from all sides of the ruling classes the same message is sent every day to the people: What will happen will happen, but the bill should be payed. Most cuts still have to take place in the nearby future although the profits of most multinationals are rising rapidely. Some more than a few hundred percent.

On the other hand the people of the Netherlands is slowly awakening. A growing amount is getting nervous. They want better answers on many questions they hear on radio and tv and read in the papers and other massmedia. Capitalism is not the self-evident answer anymore for a growing group of people, although socialism is not an answer yet. We see that new groups of the people are interseted in the party's views. And already some interesting changes took place in the biggest trade union of the country.

Comrades

The traditional social-democrate leadership in the trade unions are confronted with increasing problems to continue their class-pece based job without control of the grassroots. The typically Dutch social model called the Poldermodel of class-peace and social-partnership comes to an end. More and more people are becoming aware is not the answer to, but the reason for the problems. Many new possibilities are arising for our parties to strengthen and organize people. More then ever we therfor need to be stronger. More then ever we need common discussions and actions now capitalism is trying to rebuild the world and European imperialist forces are trying to rebuild Europe under the leadership of the German imperialism.

Comrades

We really hope we can overcome the differences between the geniun communist and workers parties. We need solid forms of ideological, political and organisational unity amongst our parties. We need better understanding and more coordinated actions. We need to find ways to convince more and more people in our countries that only under socialist circumstances mankind is able to find solutions for the future. Only under socialist conditions real answers are possible, although now we have to fight for everything the working classes fought for in the past.

Thank you for your attention.