Appeal of the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties
The 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) took place on November 23-25, 2018, in Athens, hosted by the KKE, which celebrates 100 years of its historic course.
At the meeting under the theme of: "The contemporary working class and its alliance. The tasks of its political vanguard - the Communist and Workers' Parties, in the struggle against exploitation and imperialist wars, for the rights of the workers and the peoples, for peace, for socialism ", 90 Communist and Workers’ parties from 73 countries took part, representing all the continents.
The Parties’ representatives discussed the developments at the international, regional and national level, exchanged thoughts on the experience gained from the struggle of the Communist and Workers’ Parties in their countries, the common and convergent actions developed during the previous period, the class struggles in their countries, their efforts to promote the alliance of the working class with other popular and anti-monopoly strata.
They discussed the tasks for the strengthening of the communists’ struggle, the development of struggles of the working class and the other popular strata for the rights of the workers, of the people, of the youth, in conflict with the monopolies, the power of capital and capitalist exploitation and oppression.
The contributions of the Communist and Workers’ Parties highlighted the exploitative, predatory and inhuman nature of capitalism. It was noted that the contradictions and competition of capitalist states and alliances are sharpening in a multi-faceted way on the terrain of either the crisis or capitalist growth; that the process of realignment of forces is advancing internationally.
Imperialist interference, blockades and interventions are continuing. There are still ongoing wars, such as in Syria, Yemen, Libya, as well as in Azerbaijan. The fratricidal war in Ukraine continues under the responsibility of the anti-people Kiev regime. Military armaments and war preparations are escalating.
The Communist and Workers' Parties welcome the struggles of the workers and the peoples around the world against the offensive of imperialism, against occupation, against any threats to sovereign rights and national independence, for peace, for the defense and the widening of social and democratic rights. The experience gained in many countries from the struggles against the imperialist plans and political line of the USA, NATO, the EU and their allies is valuable.
The sharpening of the contradictions involves the risk of new imperialist wars, for the control of wealth-producing resources, markets and energy pipelines; this risk sets serious tasks for the workers' movement and the communists for the strengthening of a broad anti-imperialist struggle for peace and disarmament, the intensification of the struggle against the political line of bourgeois governments that serves the profitability of big capital and imperialist aggression and war.
The developments highlight that the struggle for peace, disarmament, respect for popular sovereignty, for the solution of the people’s problems and the satisfaction of the people’s needs is inextricably linked to the struggle for the overthrow of capitalist barbarity, for socialism.
The Communist and Workers' Parties assessed positively the initiatives taken in 2017 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution and in 2018 for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, contributing to the defense of the Soviet Union's contribution, of socialism, which is the only way out of capitalist exploitation.
They reaffirmed their internationalist solidarity with the Syrian, Palestinian, Cypriot peoples; with the peoples of Lebanon, of Sudan, of Socialist Cuba, of Venezuela, of Brazil, of Iran, with all the peoples which face imperialist attacks and threats.
They condemned anticommunism and the attack on democratic rights and freedoms and expressed full support to the communists persecuted in Poland, Ukraine, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan as well as to the communists facing legal and political processes in Russia, Transnistria and elsewhere.
It was noted that in 2019 there are several important commemorations as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Communist International, the 70 years of the Chinese Revolution as well as the 60 years of the Cuban Revolution. These anniversaries could be utilized in order to strengthen proletarian internationalism; to defend the history and contribution of the Communist movement for the popular gains, for the struggle for progress, for the social emancipation of the workers and of the peoples in contrast to the falsification and distortion of the historical truth and the identification of communism with the fascist atrocities.
The Communist and Workers’ parties expressed their solidarity with refugees and immigrants. They condemned racism, the dangerous fascist, far-right forces that arise from the exploitative system and are directed against the peoples.
During the 20th IMCWP, a series of declarations of solidarity with the struggle of the peoples in many parts of the world were issued.
The Communist and Workers' parties call for the development of common and convergent actions in the next period along these main axes:
Against imperialist war, interventions and militarization.
Actions against NATO - whose 70th anniversary is on April 4, 2019 - and the EU, which is being further militarized with PESCO and other mechanisms. Against nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, utilizing the nuclear holocaust anniversary in Hiroshima - Nagasaki (on August 6 and 9) and the 80 years since the start of the Second World War (on September 1).
To defend the history of the communist movement and the values of proletarian internationalism
Multi-faceted events for the 100th anniversary of the Communist International (on March 2), actions against anti-communism, persecutions, and bans of Communist and Workers' Parties. Utilization of the 102nd anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution to highlight the achievements of socialism and deepen the theoretical discussion and practical action against capitalism and its exploitative, oppressive, aggressive, predatory and inhuman nature.
To strengthen Internationalist Solidarity with the struggling peoples, which face occupation, imperialist threats, and interventions
To strengthen internationalist solidarity and struggle to demand the end of the US blockade against Cuba and the interventions and threats against Bolivarian Venezuela. To support the struggle of Palestinian people for the end of the occupation and self-determination, establishing a national, independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the UN resolutions, supporting the resistance of the Palestinian people and condemning the criminal policy of Israel. To denounce imperialist interventions in the Korean Peninsula and express solidarity with the Korean people for independent and peaceful reunification. To express solidarity with refugees and with all peoples facing occupation, intervention, and blockades by imperialism.
Multi-faceted class solidarity with workers' struggles for labor, social, trade union rights, against the offensive of capital.
Development of actions of struggle in workplaces and in particular on International Workers’ Day on May 1st, highlighting the vanguard role of the communists.
For Women's Rights and Emancipation
Development of actions of struggle on March 8, International Women's Day, to defend women's rights and their full equality in work and life.
Struggle for political and trade union freedoms and democratic rights against fascist forces, reactionary regimes, racism and xenophobia, religious fanaticism and social oppression.
Development of actions of struggle on the day of the People's Victory over Fascism-Nazism.
Development of actions to protect the environment
The participants thanked the Communist Party of Greece for hosting successfully this Meeting.
Towards Solidarity within the Working Class
Address by the Communist Party of Malta
Comrade Chairperson,
Comrades
Firstly I would like to thank the Communist Party of Greece for hosting these Fora which gives us the chance to deliver our address and hear what comrades from others parties have to say on the problems that we are facing today,( and also to Congratulate the Communist Party of Greece on its 100 years anniversary from its founding)*
Comrades,
The working class today is in the dire need of a re-education in class warfare, as it has fallen into disarray and has forgotten the lessons that their forefathers have learned through hard struggles. The solidarity that existed between the workers of former the days, prior to the disastrous events of 1989 is gone. Apathy has set into the dire detriment of the working classes in many countries. Capitalism today is finding it easier to implement a new measure of exploitation, and this is being supported by the neo-liberal governments in Europe and elsewhere, amongst them Social-Democratic administrations.
Today, Global Capitalism still has a firm hold over the means of production. Working classes all over the world has yet to wrest this control. Since the setback suffered by working classes, with the fall of the Soviet Union and its eastern European allies, Capitalists all over the globe has tightened their fists and have done away with most of the gains that the working class had won by hard struggles in the middle years of the Twentieth Century.
Third world countries especially those in Africa are robbed of their natural resources by the implementation of brutal corrupt dictators subservient to imperialism which is their mainstay. They back them militarily if need be, against their own people, who are forced to live in poverty or migrate. This brings about humanitarian crises that Europe now faces with this forced migration, which in turn is bringing about the resurgence of extreme right-wing parties in the European Political Arena. This method is also used in the Latin American countries where democratically elected governments are threatened or overthrown by brutal coups supported by the US
The US Military and Industrial Complex requires a constant supply of wars so new markets could be found to sell their lethal products of death and destruction. The Rothschild’s who control most of the global finance hold Capitalist countries under their absolute control, with the aid of US imperialism, have ushered wars to destroy countries like Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.
Countries like Syria which has been undergoing a siege from which it has managed to survive, at a great cost. Venezuela suffering from sanctions, because the people elected a government, which the U.S. does not like. The DPRK because it still insists to reunify the Korean Peninsula into one country, is threatened with military intervention. One point that emerges here, is that these countries are not financially controlled by the Rothschild’s.
Another struggle that has been going on for too long now, is the struggle of the Palestinian people to liberate their homeland from Zionist colonialism imposed on them by US imperialism after the Second World War.
The state of Israel which was set up on Palestinian lands is another artificial country like South Korea and Kosovo. South Vietnam another US invention was liberated by the Vietnamese people who gave US imperialism it’s greatest and sour defeat.
These imperialist creations were set up to offset people’s aspirations for freedom. In the case of Palestine, US imperialism continued on the path started by French and British imperialism to set up an alternative colonizer when they had to leave, to protect their interests (Petroleum) in the Middle East.
Communists and Workers Parties who are the real vanguard of the working classes must straighten themselves by exposing the treachery of Social Democratic Parties that have sold out workers interests a long time ago, some even prior World War One. Other Parties nowadays calling themselves left-wing parties are not really Workers Parties as they claim as they support “Free Market Policy” and claim that there can be no Democracy without this Free Market. They have forgotten that a free Market is the greatest enemy of the working class.
One example of how like Social Democrats these New Left Wing Parties betray Socialism is; Here in Greece SYRIZA made a pre-electoral promise that if elected they would stop the European Union imposed austerity programme. They held a referendum to stop EU austerity programmes after they were elected. The referendum result gave a great victory against the implementation of austerity measures but SYRIZA instead of honouring this result, bows its head to the EU diktat, and the Greek Working Class had to undergo a lot of suffering through EU imposed austerity programmes.
The immediate tasks that we Communists and other progressives is to militate within the ranks of workers to make them aware of these bogus socialists. The solutions to the problems of the working class lie, in the transformation of the liberal society which has a capitalistic neo-liberal concept, where profit reigns supreme. This transformation must be into a Socialist society where the means of productions are no longer the hands of the bourgeoisie but taken over by the working class. thus changing the economic structure of society, where the profits would be distributed evenly, in higher wages, funds to better living conditions, to educate their children up to University levels, and to provide free medical care for all.
Only by the correct Marxist-Leninist analysis, constant militantism, and hard work within the working classes itself would bring about the required change. Socialism would finally put an end to the barbarity of Capitalism
Long Live Marxism Leninism.
Long Live The Communist Party of Greece*
* Added to the read speech
A report on the economic and political situation in Malta
Last General elections which were held in June of 2017 returned the Labour Party (LP) to power with a larger majority. The opposition center-right Nationalist Party (PN) based its electoral campaign on corruption and alleged secret bank accounts in Panama held by the Prime Minister’s wife, his Chief advisor, and a Minister. The accusations against the PM’s wife later were proven false, in an extensive 15-month magisterial inquiry that Prime Minister himself had requested. The results of this inquiry has shown that all accusations were false, and based on forged documents. The call, for early General Elections, was also because of this claim.
The Labour administrations as stated previously, in other reports has a neo-Liberal policy and although the situation of the working class has improved when comparing to the previous Nationalist administrations, so have the economic situation of the Rich, compared with this workers are getting crumbs. Land exploiters are having a field day. One problem that now besets the Maltese population is the high Rent Prices, which was de-controlled under a previous PN administration back in 2008. Prior to that the rent was very low based on 1939 legislation and it was paid on a per annum bases. Today they have gone up by more than tenfold and this is being paid on a monthly bases To give a rough example a rent of 30 Malta Lira(Malta’s old Currency) which was paid once in a year is now 300 Malta Lira paid once a month. The rent per annum, in this case, is 3600 Malta Lira. A nagging concern is, that now we are having homeless people in Malta, This is while according to the EU and World Bank economically Malta has made large progress; we are having a new kind of poverty.
Another problem is that the bourgeoisie cannot stomach the fact that they lost two successive General Elections with disastrous results that can be described as landslides. The Party that represent their interests the Nationalist Party is split into two factions. A new leader was elected after the 2017 disastrous general election results, which has not been accepted by the Party’s inner circle. So the Party seems to have two leaders, while parliamentary opposition has gone down to nil. This once again will keep them out of Government reducing again their parliamentary representation. The danger here is that they will be replaced by extreme right-wing parties
In October of 2017, a female journalist was assassinated by a car bomb and needless to say that the PN started on a lurid campaign accusing the Labour administration of eliminating her. . However there is no evidence to this claim. The facts are that she was one sided in her attacks, always writing against the LP even when they were in opposition. She was discredited as twice she was blamed for the PN defeat. If the LP wanted to get rid of her they would have done so long ago. There are two factors that could be the reason why she was eliminated; One she was investigating the smuggling of Oil from Libya to Italy. The attack she made on the new PN Leader as she sided with old Guard. Again there is no evidence on these two factors. Three persons are accused of placing the bomb and blowing her up unless they do not talk about the identity of who ordered her elimination will remain unknown.
What is being written against Malta in the foreign press originates from PN sources which are not reliable and more than often based on blatant lies. Two Nationalist MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola are doing their utmost in the EU to dirty Malta’s name. David Casa, even came to Athens to support a Russian National Maria Efimova from being extradited back to Malta to face charges of fraud and bearing false witness. Casa claimed that her life would be in danger if she were to be extradited. This was completely false
The Journalists Daphne Caruana Galizia and Maria Efimova a supposed whistle-blower were the main accusers against the Prime Minister’s wife. In the magisterial inquiry their evidence contradicted each other, where Daphne Caruana Galizia was basing her evidence on what Maria Efimova had told her, and both swore that the documents were seen, Daphne stating Maria saw them, while Maria swore that Daphne had seen them, the documents that were handed to the inquiring magistrate were proven to be frauds by English and American experts.
V.Degiovanni
Secretary CC
20 IMCWP, Participants List
Communist Party of Albania
Algerian Party for Democracy and Socialism
Communist Party of Argentina
Communist Party of Australia
Party of Labour of Austria
Communist Party of Azerbaijan
Democratic Progressive Tribune
Communist Party of Bangladesh
Communist Party of Belarus
Communist Party of Belgium
Communist Party of Bolivia
Brazilian Communist Party
Communist Party of Brazil
Communist Party of Britain
New Communist Party of Britain
Communist Party of Bulgaria
Party of the Bulgarian Communists
Communist Party of Canada
Communist Party of China
Socialist Workers' Party of Croatia
Communist Party of Cuba
Progressive Party of the Working People - AKEL
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
Communist Party in Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark
Force of the Revolution, Dominican Republic
Communist Party of Ecuador
Communist Party of Estonia
Communist Party of Finland
French Communist Party
Communist Party of Macedonia
Unified Communist Party of Georgia
German Communist Party
Communist Party of Greece
Hungarian Workers' Party
Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Tudeh Party of Iran
Communist Party of Iraq
Communist Party of Kurdistan-Iraq
Communist Party of Ireland
The Worker's Party of Ireland
Communist Party of Israel
Communist Party (Italy)
Italian Communist Party
Jordanian Communist Party
Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan
Workers Party of Korea
Party of the Communists of Kyrgyzstan
Lao’s Peoples' Revolutionary Party
Socialist Party of Latvia
Lebanese Communist Party
Socialist Party, Lithuania
Communist Party of Luxembourg
Party of the Congress for the Independence of Madagascar (AKFM)
Communist Party of Malta
Communist Party of Mexico
Nepal Communist Party
New Communist Party of Netherlands
Communist Party of Norway
Communist Party of Pakistan
Palestinian Communist Party
Palestinian People's Party
Paraguayan Communist Party
Communist Party of Poland
Portuguese Communist Party
Romanian Socialist Party
Communist Party of Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF)
Russian Communist Workers' Party - Communist Party of Soviet Union (RCWP-CPSU)
Union Of Communist Parties-CPSU
Communists of Serbia
New Communist Party Yugoslavia
Communist Party of Slovakia
South African Communist Party
Communist Party of Spain
Communist Party of The Peoples of Spain
Communist Party of The Peoples of Spain
Communist Party of Sri Lanka
Sudanese Communist Party
Communist Party of Swaziland
Communist Party of Sweden
Syrian Communist Party
Communist Party of Turkey
Labour Party (EMEP)
Communist Party of Ukraine
Union of Communists of Ukraine
Communist Party USA
Communist Party of Venezuela
Communist Party of Vietnam
