Speech by Al. Paparigha at the event of TKP against EU
Istanbul, December 11, 2004
Dear Comrades
For a considerable part of Greek people, along with Greek Communists, the feelings of love and friendship towards the people and the communists of Turkey that struggle, suffer sacrifices and persecutions, are considered as granted.
All of us, we along with you, will not permit the Greek and Turkish bourgeoisie plots to poison our solidarity bonds.
We will not let ourselves into the entrapment and designs dictated by their antagonism and competition because we know that peoples of both countries share common interests.
The people of Greece and Turkey are linked by their common interest to confront the plans of imperialism in the region, the plans of NATO and US as well as of the leading forces of the EU, that some times incite the imperialist division and competition and other times promote the imperialist “peace”, but always according to their financial and geostrategic interests.
The people of Greece and Turkey fee no obligation to give their blood in the name of imperialist profit. It is to this direction that we should orient our common activity into as many fronts as possible. In the already set common fronts of struggle we can add the struggle against the EU choices, the fight for a different unification of Europe, a Socialist Europe.
Greece and its course in European unification
I would like to emphasize certain historical facts concerning our country, which are consider useful, especially now that Turkey is in its negotiation process.
During the 60’s, it was not only CPG or the United Democratic Left (EDA) that stated their objection to the country’s accession, but several bourgeois forces as well that considered Greece unprepared for such a trial. Such forces also were emphatically stating that the course of linking with the EEC and the accession of our country to the EEC would transformed it into a «colony».
A part of the bourgeois forces, opposing accession, was raising the argument of Greece’s agricultural economy as its main source of income, and the country’s weak industrial base. They were believing that the country’s industrial development would be obstructed and its products would be affected by the imports based on a new tariffs basis. They also stressed the implications that such process would impose on the country’s commercial relations with other non - EEC countries (European Economy Community), and especially the Socialist countries.
Speaking generally, an inner contradiction was depicted within the ruling bourgeois class and its entrepreneurs.
But these disagreements stated by the bourgeois line of thought are not founded in the same class analysis shared by the CPG, although they both reached in some common assumptions.
As communists, we were stressing the capitalist nature of EEC, its imperialist policy, and not the aspect of readiness of our country as stated other viewpoints.
Such contradictions and divergences are present also today, within a contemporary context, and we should not be surprised by them. According to our opinion, similar and other contradictions are expressed today concerning Turkey’s participation in EU. These contradictions are cloaked under secondary arguments, aiming at concealing from people the imperialist contradictions inside EU and with the USA.
General Conclusion
The participation of one country in EU, has always been offering support to the bourgeoisie and its allies by a broader European context against the people’s movements.
The participation of Greece in European Economy Community (EEC) contributed in the development of the Greek capitalism’s, in a limited modernization taking into account the starting point of its historical delay, comparing to other capitalist European countries.
However, through all these years of our country’s connection, adjustment and participation to EEC and EU, the gap between Greek capitalism and the one developed in the leading European forces as well as other ones has not diminished; proving that the major argument of the “convergence” -mainly on the economy and social level- of each member state, stated by the bourgeoisie, is not verified.
Neither it is confirmed the argument that the participation in the EU leads to the solution of problems concerning the securing of boarders and integrity, or that EU functions as a factor promoting peace and respect of peoples’ sovereignty. EU has supported or tolerated imperialist wars and bears severe responsibilities for the situation in the Palestinian issue and the dissolution of Yugoslavia. It maintains an imperialist and pro-american attitude against Cuba and other people’s movements.
Also, in the EU, the predictions about the «single currency» in all EU member states (Euro-zone) have not been confirmed and are subject to constant revision with optimism replaced by skepticism, followed by disappointment and defeatism. This is the dominant mood in the EU’s authorities, regardless of the propaganda they are spreading to the peoples.
EU displays its weaknesses in the fields which were considered its major advantages, within the framework of the Economy Monetary Union (EMU).
The EMU imposes a uniform monetary policy which, in fact, cannot be applied in conditions of uneven development; instead it leads to a specific loosening and divergence, if this is to the interest of the leading countries.
Although the contradictions with the USA appear blatantly in the case of the war in Iraq, this is not the only Achilles’ heel. The constant and disguised competition has been revealing itself into the investment chase in to the former Socialist countries, into broader fields, since the whole game is about global dominance.
The sector of defence, the military armament and the military allies are also fields of a keen competition between the EU’s leading countries and USA. It seems that EU wants to become stronger also at the defense and military fields, to be self-sufficient, but on the other hand yet it cannot afford the cost of such a project without the presence and support of the USA. This is an issue one has to inspect closely.
The enlargement of the EU with 10 new countries leads to the sharpening of the uneven development, deepening the relations of dependence and the formation of satellite states attached to one or another powerful capitalist country.
Enlargement aims at the further enforcement of the EU imperialism toward to Central and Eastern Europe, especially its enforcement in Russia, at the Black Sea and Caucasus region.
And at recent time, the so called «European Constitution» is added to the aforementioned measures.
Overcall, the context of the «European Constitution» is in full agreement with the EU current policies: the unrestrained liberalization and support of capitalist profit, the attack of all working peoples’ achievements, the militarization, the EUROPOL and the so called «anti-terrorist legislation». With such a context, it is practically impossible for anyone, except the specialists in lying and deception, to claim that this «constitution» is a step towards democracy and progress. It is nothing more than an additional link in the chain made in Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Treaties in order to impose new bondage to people.
The peoples in EU member states no need a «European Constitution». They don’t even need the EU. The creators of this «constitution», the supporters and those which applaud this effort with others which dallies with this idea, should bear the consequences.
As a result of the developing peoples’ movements in Europe against EU’s choices, as well as the contradictions and conflicts appearing as its intrinsic qualities, from time to time both liberal and social democratic parties are trying to elaborate ways to mitigate some of the sharpening problems of this society in order to continue the manipulation and the subjection of the peoples.
Opportunist and anti-communist forces also participate in these discussions aiming both to maintain their good relation to the EU and became appealing to peoples’ protest, as well.
Their proposals do not exceed beyond the boundaries of neo-liberal policy, they follow the same alleged «one way»; they are proposals that weaken peoples’ resistance and trap any perspective.
The Communist Party of Greece and the future of Europe
It is CPG’s starting point that EU is defined as a capitalist inter-state agreement that serves -above all- the system’s reproduction and the increasing capitalist concentration. To the existing form of capitalist socialization we do oppose the socialist one. Europe capitalist unification is not an «one - way» solution to be followed because capitalism is not people’s unalterable destiny, since it cannot outlive forever. In the sort run, the EU will meet with a variable of problems since the gap will deepen, along with uneven development in which the formation of many groups and sub-groups as well as the sharpening of contradictions will take place.
People’s movement in every country must not fear inter-imperialist contradictions, neither should it support one competitor over another. It just take advantage and shape the preconditions for the final victory.
The appearance of the share holding capitalist enterprise, even in Marx’s time, showed the transcendency from individual ownership to the collective capitalist one. Today, there is objective ground for the passage from the collective capitalist ownership, taking into account that such an evolution requires the shaping of the precondition for the overthrow of capitalist system.
Of course, we do not claim that people should passively wait for socialism to come and satisfy they demands; neither do we invite them to stop their daily fight to answer their urgent needs and confront their sharp problems.
They should give perspective to their daily fight and seek for a rupture; otherwise the situation will became increasingly critical. Their current fight should result into their liberation, and not to their endless entrapment in to their present den.
In this struggle can meet forces that share the perspective of a Socialist Europe, as well as forces that may have a different viewpoint about the future of Europe and even disagree about socialism, but still oppose the interests of the monopolies and imperialism.
The disengagement does not mean national isolation nor stray from the international economic relations. It is disengagement and demand for economic relations on the basis of mutual interest. In parallel to the tension of disengagement, the tension of mutual co-operation of the disengaged countries, and also with third countries, which will be moving up to a degree or another in a similar way - something the internationalisation of class struggle, the globalisation of phenomena and tensions ensure - will develop.
The peoples may get numb, and may yield, but in the end they do not commit suicide.
Dear Comrades
For a considerable part of Greek people, along with Greek Communists, the feelings of love and friendship towards the people and the communists of Turkey that struggle, suffer sacrifices and persecutions, are considered as granted.
All of us, we along with you, will not permit the Greek and Turkish bourgeoisie plots to poison our solidarity bonds.
We will not let ourselves into the entrapment and designs dictated by their antagonism and competition because we know that peoples of both countries share common interests.
The people of Greece and Turkey are linked by their common interest to confront the plans of imperialism in the region, the plans of NATO and US as well as of the leading forces of the EU, that some times incite the imperialist division and competition and other times promote the imperialist “peace”, but always according to their financial and geostrategic interests.
The people of Greece and Turkey fee no obligation to give their blood in the name of imperialist profit. It is to this direction that we should orient our common activity into as many fronts as possible. In the already set common fronts of struggle we can add the struggle against the EU choices, the fight for a different unification of Europe, a Socialist Europe.
Greece and its course in European unification
I would like to emphasize certain historical facts concerning our country, which are consider useful, especially now that Turkey is in its negotiation process.
During the 60’s, it was not only CPG or the United Democratic Left (EDA) that stated their objection to the country’s accession, but several bourgeois forces as well that considered Greece unprepared for such a trial. Such forces also were emphatically stating that the course of linking with the EEC and the accession of our country to the EEC would transformed it into a «colony».
A part of the bourgeois forces, opposing accession, was raising the argument of Greece’s agricultural economy as its main source of income, and the country’s weak industrial base. They were believing that the country’s industrial development would be obstructed and its products would be affected by the imports based on a new tariffs basis. They also stressed the implications that such process would impose on the country’s commercial relations with other non - EEC countries (European Economy Community), and especially the Socialist countries.
Speaking generally, an inner contradiction was depicted within the ruling bourgeois class and its entrepreneurs.
But these disagreements stated by the bourgeois line of thought are not founded in the same class analysis shared by the CPG, although they both reached in some common assumptions.
As communists, we were stressing the capitalist nature of EEC, its imperialist policy, and not the aspect of readiness of our country as stated other viewpoints.
Such contradictions and divergences are present also today, within a contemporary context, and we should not be surprised by them. According to our opinion, similar and other contradictions are expressed today concerning Turkey’s participation in EU. These contradictions are cloaked under secondary arguments, aiming at concealing from people the imperialist contradictions inside EU and with the USA.
General Conclusion
The participation of one country in EU, has always been offering support to the bourgeoisie and its allies by a broader European context against the people’s movements.
The participation of Greece in European Economy Community (EEC) contributed in the development of the Greek capitalism’s, in a limited modernization taking into account the starting point of its historical delay, comparing to other capitalist European countries.
However, through all these years of our country’s connection, adjustment and participation to EEC and EU, the gap between Greek capitalism and the one developed in the leading European forces as well as other ones has not diminished; proving that the major argument of the “convergence” -mainly on the economy and social level- of each member state, stated by the bourgeoisie, is not verified.
Neither it is confirmed the argument that the participation in the EU leads to the solution of problems concerning the securing of boarders and integrity, or that EU functions as a factor promoting peace and respect of peoples’ sovereignty. EU has supported or tolerated imperialist wars and bears severe responsibilities for the situation in the Palestinian issue and the dissolution of Yugoslavia. It maintains an imperialist and pro-american attitude against Cuba and other people’s movements.
Also, in the EU, the predictions about the «single currency» in all EU member states (Euro-zone) have not been confirmed and are subject to constant revision with optimism replaced by skepticism, followed by disappointment and defeatism. This is the dominant mood in the EU’s authorities, regardless of the propaganda they are spreading to the peoples.
EU displays its weaknesses in the fields which were considered its major advantages, within the framework of the Economy Monetary Union (EMU).
The EMU imposes a uniform monetary policy which, in fact, cannot be applied in conditions of uneven development; instead it leads to a specific loosening and divergence, if this is to the interest of the leading countries.
Although the contradictions with the USA appear blatantly in the case of the war in Iraq, this is not the only Achilles’ heel. The constant and disguised competition has been revealing itself into the investment chase in to the former Socialist countries, into broader fields, since the whole game is about global dominance.
The sector of defence, the military armament and the military allies are also fields of a keen competition between the EU’s leading countries and USA. It seems that EU wants to become stronger also at the defense and military fields, to be self-sufficient, but on the other hand yet it cannot afford the cost of such a project without the presence and support of the USA. This is an issue one has to inspect closely.
The enlargement of the EU with 10 new countries leads to the sharpening of the uneven development, deepening the relations of dependence and the formation of satellite states attached to one or another powerful capitalist country.
Enlargement aims at the further enforcement of the EU imperialism toward to Central and Eastern Europe, especially its enforcement in Russia, at the Black Sea and Caucasus region.
And at recent time, the so called «European Constitution» is added to the aforementioned measures.
Overcall, the context of the «European Constitution» is in full agreement with the EU current policies: the unrestrained liberalization and support of capitalist profit, the attack of all working peoples’ achievements, the militarization, the EUROPOL and the so called «anti-terrorist legislation». With such a context, it is practically impossible for anyone, except the specialists in lying and deception, to claim that this «constitution» is a step towards democracy and progress. It is nothing more than an additional link in the chain made in Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Treaties in order to impose new bondage to people.
The peoples in EU member states no need a «European Constitution». They don’t even need the EU. The creators of this «constitution», the supporters and those which applaud this effort with others which dallies with this idea, should bear the consequences.
As a result of the developing peoples’ movements in Europe against EU’s choices, as well as the contradictions and conflicts appearing as its intrinsic qualities, from time to time both liberal and social democratic parties are trying to elaborate ways to mitigate some of the sharpening problems of this society in order to continue the manipulation and the subjection of the peoples.
Opportunist and anti-communist forces also participate in these discussions aiming both to maintain their good relation to the EU and became appealing to peoples’ protest, as well.
Their proposals do not exceed beyond the boundaries of neo-liberal policy, they follow the same alleged «one way»; they are proposals that weaken peoples’ resistance and trap any perspective.
The Communist Party of Greece and the future of Europe
It is CPG’s starting point that EU is defined as a capitalist inter-state agreement that serves -above all- the system’s reproduction and the increasing capitalist concentration. To the existing form of capitalist socialization we do oppose the socialist one. Europe capitalist unification is not an «one - way» solution to be followed because capitalism is not people’s unalterable destiny, since it cannot outlive forever. In the sort run, the EU will meet with a variable of problems since the gap will deepen, along with uneven development in which the formation of many groups and sub-groups as well as the sharpening of contradictions will take place.
People’s movement in every country must not fear inter-imperialist contradictions, neither should it support one competitor over another. It just take advantage and shape the preconditions for the final victory.
The appearance of the share holding capitalist enterprise, even in Marx’s time, showed the transcendency from individual ownership to the collective capitalist one. Today, there is objective ground for the passage from the collective capitalist ownership, taking into account that such an evolution requires the shaping of the precondition for the overthrow of capitalist system.
Of course, we do not claim that people should passively wait for socialism to come and satisfy they demands; neither do we invite them to stop their daily fight to answer their urgent needs and confront their sharp problems.
They should give perspective to their daily fight and seek for a rupture; otherwise the situation will became increasingly critical. Their current fight should result into their liberation, and not to their endless entrapment in to their present den.
In this struggle can meet forces that share the perspective of a Socialist Europe, as well as forces that may have a different viewpoint about the future of Europe and even disagree about socialism, but still oppose the interests of the monopolies and imperialism.
The disengagement does not mean national isolation nor stray from the international economic relations. It is disengagement and demand for economic relations on the basis of mutual interest. In parallel to the tension of disengagement, the tension of mutual co-operation of the disengaged countries, and also with third countries, which will be moving up to a degree or another in a similar way - something the internationalisation of class struggle, the globalisation of phenomena and tensions ensure - will develop.
The peoples may get numb, and may yield, but in the end they do not commit suicide.
11/12/2004
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr