The donkeys are fighting in a stranger’s barn
The Greek government is very actively trying to attract foreign investments, which of course will also strengthen the monopoly groups in Greece. 60 big businessmen from various sectors of the economy participated in the Prime Minister’s trip to China. The government is offering the reduced wages, the flexible labour relations and the privatization of state-owned sectors of the economy as bait and addresses itself to various powerful capitalist countries.The privatization of state owned sectors of the economy, the change of the form of ownership of various enterprises, the replacement of one investor by another, the construction of infrastructure works in order for the commodities of the Germans or Chinese, French and Russians to be transported is development, but development in favour of capital and its profits.
At the same time we can see the intensifying interest of Russian monopolies around the issue of DEPA-DESFA (state organizations in energy-natural gas), particularly the interest of GAZPROM in DEPA. We should also not forget the recent speech of the Russian consul in Thessalonica, who linked this issue with the influx of Russian capital into other sectors of the economy, especially in retail and tourism, saying at the same time that the possibility of Russian monopolies being excluded from the process of the privatization of DEPA-DESFA would mean the overall downgrading of the economic relations of the two countries. The immediate reactions of the USA and the EU to the possible sale of DEPA or DESFA to Russian monopolies are well-known, a fact which is connected to their sharp competition both in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean over hydrocarbons and their transportation.
After the trip to China, the Prime Minister went to Azerbaijan in order to persuade them about the need to support the TAP pipeline in which Greece participates and which will transport Azeri natural gas. The transportation of Azeri natural gas to Europe is supported both by the USA and the EU. Two days later the interest of Azerbaijan’s state company “Socar” in buying DESFA was expressed, which will indeed raise the level of its offer, with capital supplied to it by companies which control the gas deposits of “Shah Deniz 2”, British Petroleum in particular, the gas from which will be transported to Europe. The USA supports Azerbaijan.
At the same time, according to various sources, the Russian monopolies are interested in investing in electric power as well and it cannot be ruled out that, in the framework of the restructuring and breaking up of DEH (state electricity company), they will take part in the process of buying it. Indeed it is said that German and US monopolies are also interested in the electricity sector. Yesterday the forthcoming trip of the Defence Minister to Russia was publicised and it was written in the print media that Russia is interested in the state company “Greek Defence Systems” (EAS). Israel is also interested in it.
It seems that the government is, through the sale of state sectors of the economy, following the doctrine of “sharing out” these sectors to the monopolies of various powerful capitalist states in order to create more interest and also benefits for the capitalist economy of Greece as a whole. But we can already see from the example of DESFA-DEPA that Greece is becoming an arena for the sharpening of inter-imperialist competition. The monopolies are operating according to their geopolitical interests, demonstrating once again that what the bourgeois call “multidimensional relations” with various capitalist economies is something that comes into conflict with the particular monopoly interests of every state. Something that is a dangerous for the people.
Could it be otherwise? Maybe, but only under specific conditions. For the natural resources and productive capacity of the country and its international political and economic relations to work for the needs of the people, a different situation must be formed at the level of the economy and power. The means of production must be socialized. Only in this way will they stop serving the profits of the capitalists, and will they work to support the people’s living standards. It is worth struggling for this development. And only then, with workers’-people’s power, will there be the possibility of forming economic relations and mutually beneficial cooperation for the people and to implement another kind of development. And then the “donkeys” will stop fighting in a stranger’s “barn”.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr