No consent to the bankrupting of the people

The political developments in Greece are rapid. The stable line of the KKE and of the class-oriented labour movement, that the workers are not at all responsible for the crisis but that capital is, and that the mass strike struggle of hundreds of thousands of workers, the mass refusal of the workers to accept in the name of “patriotism” the burden of the crisis, has led the bourgeois class and its parties into carrying out various maneuvers. On Wednesday while the mass strike demonstrations in which PAME played the leading role were underway, there was an attempt at the initiative of the Prime Minister for a government to be jointly formed between the social-democratic PASOK and the conservative ND. This attempt did not succeed which resulted in the Prime Minister announcing a government reshuffle. The KKE denounced the plans which had as their aim the consent of the people to the anti-people measures and demanded the reinforcement of the popular struggle and elections. The KKE is organizing demonstrations in all the cities of Greece on the afternoon of the 16^th of June.

A chronicle of the developments: Massive strike of PAME- a response to the savage anti-labour assault

The general strike on 15^th June, which was organised by PAME, which played the key role in the work-places and in the strike demonstrations where the class-oriented forces had the clear superiority, against the new anti-labour attack of the government that supports the interests of big capital with the backing of the EU and the IMF, was completed successfully.

The measures which are outlined in the so called “medium-term programme” include new cuts in salaries and dismissals, increase of working time, extension of flexible employment, an increase in VAT from 13% to 23%, new burdens for the self-employed, cuts in pensions, savage cuts in social benefits, privatizations etc. These measures lay waste to rights and extend destitution and poverty.

The answer was given by the working class itself and the other popular strata with the strike on June 15^th.

Large factories, numerous workplaces, state agencies, public transportation, ports were paralysed for 24 hours. The class-oriented forces struggled from the crack of the dawn to defend the strike against intimidation and the pressures exerted by the employers. With the picket lines they set up in numerous workplaces they played the crucial role in the success of the strike.

In Athens PAME (All-workers Militant Front) held a massive strike demonstration in the centre of the city which was impressive both in terms of participation and militancy and much bigger than the rallies of the compromised leaderships of the Confederation of the Trade Unions in the private and public sector (GSEE and ADEDY) as well as of the so-called “indignant citizens“. Similarly, massive demonstrations were held by PAME in 67 cities throughout the country. It is characteristic that when the march in Athens arrived at Syntagma Square the last protesters were still at the starting point of the march. The whole march was deployed in an organised and protected way thus preventing the activity of every kind of provocateurs and mechanisms of the bourgeoisie.

Alekos Arvanitidis, member of the executive secretariat of PAME, the main speaker at the demonstration in Syntagma square, mentioned amongst other things:

«They already face difficulties due to the popular struggle and indignation. Now we need a more coordinated and specific struggle. It is not enough to get rid of the memorandum; we have to get rid of the policies that breed the memorandums. PASOK and ND must receive a powerful blow. The time of struggle has come; we must pose the demand for the disengagement from the European Union.

We do not consent; we do not assume any responsibility for the plans of plutocracy. We struggle in order to protect the life of the working people’s families, in order to save the people from poverty. No more intimidation and manipulation. Plutocracy and capitalism must be bankrupted.

We must struggle till the overthrow of this policy; for a policy that will satisfy the contemporary needs of the people; for changes and upheavals that will bring the people to power. We need a class-oriented movement that will be organised and determined to fight till the end. No cog can turn without the workers. We can do it as long as the people realise their power, as long as the people decide to use their power and use it correctly!

We do not recognise any debt. The debt is illegal as a whole and it belongs to plutocracy. We do not to accept that we should pay a single cent, not one euro. The plutocracy must pay. Now, we must struggle for the disengagement from the EU. We must leave the predatory alliance of the monopolies. The people should not expect anything within the EU. The time has come for the people to take their life into their own hands.

From this podium we would like to submit our own critical approach concerning the expression of the people’s indignation, the self-proclaimed movement of the “indignant citizens“.

It is not enough to say “I struggle for democracy”, if you don’t demand democracy in the workplaces at the same time, democracy for whom, which class does this democracy serve and above all if you do not fight against the dictatorship of the monopolies.

The slogans “parties out-trade unions out” which are promoted by certain centres, by the “movements in the squares” have a reactionary content; they create confusions; they are a backward step for the movement.

The equation of PAME with GSEE and ADEDY is an act that ignores the history of the class struggle and serves only the exploiters of the working people.

So, what kind of movement do we need? A peaceful movement, a movement of silent protest, a movement of which simply makes contemptuous hand gestures? Or a movement of rupture, collision and overthrow? An “independent- autonomous” movement or a class-oriented movement that will be independent from every ideological and political influence of the bourgeoisie? A movement with the monopolies or against the monopolies?

A vague movement that will struggle for the management of the system and falter due to the maneuvers of the existing social and political system or a movement that will give to the daily struggles the prospect of another society that will serve the needs of the people?

“This is the movement that we need today, a movement that will be a thorn in the sides of the plutocracy” concluded the cadre of PAME.

A large delegation of the CC headed by the GS of the CC of the KKE, Aleka Papariga, participated in the massive demonstration of PAME. The General Secretary made the following statements to the media: “the slogan that is relevant and mature today is: rupture, overthrow, disengagement from the EU. There is no other realistic answer for the people.”

The massive demonstration of PAME left Syntagma square in an organised way as soon as the riots between the provocateur mechanisms and the police forces began.

The preparation and the conditions of the strike mobilization

The class oriented forces, which defended the strike at the gates of the factories and the other workplaces, protected their demonstration decisively and with a sense of responsibility showing the superiority of PAME regarding the orientation and the organisation of the workers’ struggle.

The class-oriented forces denounced the anti-people political line and prepared the strike with demonstrations on the streets of Athens, and in dozens of cities in the country with on Saturday 11^th June.

In addition, the parliamentary group of KKE condemned this monstrosity, the anti-people “medium-term programme” that the government of PASOK brings to the parliament, because it serves the interests of plutocracy and demolishes the workers’ and people’s rights.

The Parliamentary Group of KKE issued a statement to inform the people that it will not participate in any procedure of the Parliament concerning the “medium-term programme”, neither in the relevant committee nor on the plenum. It stated that it takes part alongside the communists in the strikes and the workers’ and people’s struggles in general. It called on the working class, the popular strata, the youth to take part in the strike of 15^th June as well as in all strikes, to strengthen the strike demonstration of PAME and devote all their forces to the struggle against the anti-people policy of PASOK, ND, EU, to fight against the “medium-term programme” against every kind of memorandum, against all anti-labour anti-people measures.

As it noted in its statement: “Now we must strengthen the people’s struggle with all our forces so that plutocracy pays for capitalist crisis, for the debt and the deficit. The people have only one responsibility: to overthrow the anti-people policy through the organisation, the joint action, the people’s alliance. People’s power and economy, disengagement from the European Union and the other imperialist organisations.”

Demonstrations of the KKE throughout the country

The KKE in a statement on the political developments calls upon the people to take part in demonstrations throughout the country on June 16th. Aleka Papariga, the General Secretary of the CC of KKE, will deliver a speech in Athens.

The statement underlines that:

“Now it is time for the people to intervene.

Through their struggle, their organization, and through elections.

Now it’s time to affirm their opposition to the scenarios for the formation of a government of cooperation promoted by the EU and the plutocracy. Their objective is to shackle the people in every way and to lead them subjugated to the precipice of bankruptcy in order to protect the interests and the power of the monopolies. No illusion is permitted. The intimidation must fail.

Now, it’s time for the people to trust the KKE that has evidently told them the truth. Although someone might not agree totally with it, it is imperative to move forward with it so as to confront the reactionary scenarios, the new barbarian invasion.

People should have no confidence, no fear as to what PASOK, ND and the rest of the parties that serve the plutocracy are saying. They change masks so as to trap the people, while they remain on the same path. They become more aggressive at the expense of the people. The crisis within the Eurozone gets deeper. The capitalist barbarity cannot be dealt with delusions and concession. Now it is time for the people to take over their responsibilities. It is time to make a decisive leap forward; to be emancipated politically and ideologically by the parties that serve the system and the EU.

A Solution can be reached if people are organized and determined, alongside the KKE.

The people can deal with the new barbaric offensive if they are organized, striving for actual radical changes, for the overthrow of the power and the domination of the monopolies and the disengagement from the EU.

NO SACRIFICE FOR THE CRISIS, THE DEBT, THE PROFITABILITY OF THE PLUTOCRACY”.