PARTIT KOMUNISTA MALTI

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Maltese Communists condemn the arrest of eight Anti-Fascists activists in Spain.

The Communist Party of Malta condemns the arrest of eight anti-fascists activists in Spain who recently returned from Ukraine, after spending several months defending the people of Eastern Ukraine from the brutality and killings that was being committed by the military forces that back the Fascists Government in Kiev.

The Party also denounces the persecution of the Communist Party of Ukraine and the illegal dissolution of its parliamentary group. Many activists from the communist movement in Ukraine were either arrested, tortured, or murdered.

The Communist Party also condemns the formation of the new Ukrainian Government that includes amongst it ex leaders from the paramilitary far right NAZI groups and other fascist organizations.

Communists support Government’s position to strengthen the national basic pension income.

The Communist Party of Malta supports the position taken by the Government to put into action a strategy to strengthen the pay-as-you-go state pension system.

“The government should also introduce a pension fund as this will safeguard sustainability and security of the state pension system. The alternative option, the second pillar private pension system does not guarantee universality, adequacy and sustainability. Infact, workers with low income and precarious jobs will be the first to loose under the second pillar system”.

“The national minimum pension income is not adequate for a person to live decently. Infact, the basic pension income is 15% less than the equivalent of 60% of the median wage, which is the level of adequacy. National statistics reveal that 22% of the pensioners are at risk of poverty”.

The Communist Party of Malta insists that private pension schemes should not form part of government’s social security system. Social security could only be guaranteed by the state.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Communists support Dr Alfred Sant's position on solidarity with the people of Greece.

The Communist Party of Malta supports the appeal made by Dr Alfred Sant in the European Parliament calling on the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S & D) to support the proposal put forward by the Greek Government to the European Commission for a debt relief.

“The stand taken by Dr Alfred Sant contrasts with the comments made recently by the Government who is insisting that the Greek Government should respect the obligations, and treaties signed by previous Administrations. These obligations mean a continuation of EU austerity measures on the people of Greece".

The Communist Party of Malta stated that “it was not the working class that had brought about the collapse of the Greek economy, but the capitalist speculative system. We support the positions that are being taken by the Leftist Government in Greece, in defense of the working class.

Communists appeal Government to address ‘energy poverty’.

The Communist Party of Malta appeals to the Government for affordable prices in the use of domestic gas. Energy Poverty is defined as the lack of adequate modern energy for the basic needs of cooking, warmth, and lighting.

The Party said that “many families and pensioners are finding it difficult to regularly make use of this commodity due to low incomes. National statistics show that 99,000 persons are at risk poverty”.

“The prevalent conditions where many cannot afford to heat up their houses during the winter months can be noted by the high amount of new cases related to respiratory ailments at Mater Dei”, stated the Communist Party of Malta.

“To address the situation, the Communist Party of Malta urges the Government to either subsidize this commodity or else re-nationalize this service. Essential commodities, such as gas, electricity and water should remain under state control”.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Communists welcome the success obtained by the Left in Greece.

The Communist Party of Malta welcomes the success obtained by the left in the General elections held last Sunday in Greece. The total percentage of votes cast in favour of Syriza and KKE (Communist Party of Greece) was 41.8%

"This result brings hope to the left, radical, and Communist Parties in Europe, and restores back the people’s confidence in these parties. There is great hope that the example of Greece will also be followed in Spain, Cyprus, and in other EU countries

The Communist Party of Malta condemns the draconian austerity measures that the European Union had imposed on the people of Greece, as these measures, brought only misery, insecurity and high unemployment'.

The Communist Party of Malta has sent congratulatory messages to Syriza for its’ great victory, and to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) which succeeded in maintaining its presence in Parliament contrary to what was predicted by the right wing.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Communists appeal for public ownership of indispensable commodities.

The Communist Party of Malta said that “fuel and gas, together with energy are all essential commodities that the government should control. Government’s policy to hedge for buying oil internationally should not be suspended”.

“The political strategy, implemented recently by the government to gradually take over the operation of Enemalta Petrolium Division was a good policy as this will make it easier for any future government to safeguard affordability and sovereignty of this commodity”, stated the Communist Party of Malta.

The Communist Party of Malta concluded by stating “that essential commodities should all be under public control. With the privatisation in 2004 of the gas service, the government have thrown away his social responsibility. The privatisation of energy production is also a great political mistake”.

Communists appeal for caution and solidarity.

The Communist Party of Malta appeals to all Air Malta employees for caution and unity. The Party urges the cabin crew workers to be reasonable in their demand.

“Industrial conflicts should not be on food allowance, but on more major issues, such as the issue of job security, financial sustainability, transparency, and the right to information”.

“With regards to transparency and restructuring, the Communist Party insists that during the restructuring process the workers should be fully informed”.

The Communist Party of Malta expressed also solidarity with MIA workers who are facing uncertainties as their work is being outsourced to private companies.

Some History

An organized Communist Party did not exist prior to 1969. Secret Communist cells existed in various periods from the 1920's onwards, but they were always small in number. Maltese communists militated either in the Communist Party of Great Britain, or in the Partito Comunista Italiano, or worked under cover within the Malta Labour Party, which was also infiltrated by the catholic clergy at that time, in an effort to prevent the Labour Party from taking a Marxist line, notably amongst these infiltrators was Mgr. Michael Gonzi, the future Archbishop of Malta and a faithful servant of the British Crown and a much bitter enemy of Malta’s Liberation Movement in Malta’s struggle for Independence in the late 1950's.
The Civil and ecclesiastical authorities were ever vigilant in their witch hunt, and this culminated in the 1933 sedition trails where a number of dockyard workers and intellectuals were imprisoned for the crime of possessing classical Marxist literature. This however proved to be a great setback for the progressive movement as it took years and years to get back on its feet again
. The major exponent of the bourgeoisie was the Nationalist Party, an irredentist party firmly believing that Malta was a part of Italy that had yet to be redeemed, from English occupation. Its leaders favored the Italian Language to Maltese, and openly shown sympathies towards Mussolini’s fascist Italian state. With the Second World War looming on the horizon the English colonial authorities sacked a Nationalist administration after winning an election with the aid of the Catholic Church who had imposed mortal sin on who ever voted for the Constitutional Party, a pro British Bourgeoisie party. This pro Italy position eventually led, to the internment of the Nationalist Party leadership on breakout of the war. After the Second World War it was the right wing turn now to suffer a setback. The Second World War changed completely the political scene in Malta; however the times were still difficult for the setting up of a Communist party.
At the Mayday celebrations of 1948, where in a dinner held by the Labour Party for the occasion. The English socialist anthem Scarlet Banner was sung by some leftists present of the at this event. This caused an incident which led to affidavits and statements by the leading members of the labour party in parliament and a witch hunt by the Catholic Church paper Lehen Is-Sewwa (The Voice of the Righteousness) and the British Colonial authorities.

DEMOCRACY DID NOT REALLY EXIST IN MALTA PRIOR TO 1971, not under the direct British Colonial rule, neither under the first Nationalist Administration after the 1964 independence. It was not possible to form a Communist Party. It was enough just to receive the "Soviet Weekly" from the United Kingdom, to find yourself watched and tailed by plainclothes policemen, and even taken to be interrogated by the Police. The Maltese Prime Minister in the early 1950’s took a film distributing company to court in order to stop the screening four Soviet films which the then, very harsh censors, had deemed them fit for viewing by the Maltese general public. Even Hollywood ran into trouble, if the story line included communists. One positive aspect was the cold war cinema films of the McCarthy era were banned in Malta. The Civil authorities went into hysteria at the word communist. The then regular Christmas tournament, organized by the Malta Football Association was stopped, because most the teams invited came from Eastern Europe. The catholic oligarchy led by the now Sir Michael Gonzi Archbishop of Malta with its’ network of Parish priests spying on each and every individual in each respective parish operating in a Gestapo fashion. The Main employment on the island depended on the Naval Dockyard, and on the other British Military Bases. The contradiction here was that, to declare oneself Communist would have been sheer madness, as these "devout" Catholics, would have starved you to death, while on the other hand Marxist Ideas spread amongst progressive workers, by the odd English Airmen or Sailors posted on the island.

In the last days of the Catholic hierarchy imposed Dr George Borg Olivier Nationalist administration, as in 1962 and 1966 general elections the church again made use of moral sanctions, now to safeguard its privileges it enjoyed during the colonial period, The Communist party was eventually set up, through the activism of Paul Agius who had returned to Malta, from Australia, who along with other Maltese comrades founded the Communist Party of Malta This event took place around 1969. The party for a short period operated underground but after 1971 when the Borg Olivier administration was finally defeated The Party came out into the open. The Party Membership started to grow Lillian Schiberras Anthony Vassallo, Anthony Baldachinno and others. Evarist Bartolo, Mario Vella, and Alfred Consiglio were amongst the early members
It is not possible to mention all here but many passed through party membership. During the 1970,s the party gave critical support from the left to the Dom Mintoff’s Labour Party administration progressive, anti imperialist policy. The Party supported the policy of neutrality and the demilitarization of Malta, At the time Malta was an important NATO Base. The Communist Party was not prepared to contest the General Elections in 1976 and in 1979 was in support of the closing down of all the military bases in Malta. In 1981.for various reasons, again the party could not contest in the general elections. During the 1980's the party embarked on the road towards electoral campaigns. The party started to publish a monthly newspaper "Zminijietna" and started to prepare for the evantuality of contesting. The Party was now going through its golden age as membership started to grow and things were looking up. On the eve of the 1987 elections Dom Mintoff now a backbencher in the Labour administration proposed amendments to the Maltese constitution, which were accepted unanimously. The electoral rules were changed to suit the two party system and it resulted that small parties now had no chance of surmounting the unofficial 17% threshold. The Central Committee failed to read the writing on the wall. Failed to withdraw from the fray, and contested the 1987 elections with disastrous results. After this debacle, the party went into a period of decline. The events in Eastern Europe of 1989 continued to give the party further blows, where now it was a struggle to survive and keep its archives.
In the mid 1990’s the party slowly started again on the road of being active once again.
NEWS FROM FRATERNAL PARTIES
Communist Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark
A Festival jointly organised by the Communist Party in Denmark (KPiD) and the Communist Party of Denmark (DKP) takes place on Saturday 15. August (12-23) and Sunday 16. August (12-18) in Norrebroparken in Copenhagen (near Nordbanegade). Bus 5A from Central Train Station. Lots of music, speakers from the 2 organising parties and from other organisations, political debates, displays, food, drinks and happiness - everything in favour of the 2 communist papers, Kommunist and Skub.
Everybody visiting Copenhagen are invited!

LINKS
http://www.icsbrussels.org/ICS/2009/Sci09_Available_Papers.htm
http://cubaveritas.blogspot.com/

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=14368

http://wwwlavienglish.blogspot.com/2010/10/soviet-union-was-born-in-october-1917.html

http://aucpbenglishwebsite.blogspot.com/

http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Statement-of-77-Communist-and-Workers-Parties-against-the-Imperialist-Military-Attack-against-Syria/

http://communismgr.blogspot.com.mt

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