AKEL Bulletin March 2014

AKEL Bulletin Edited by the International Relations Department C.C. AKEL No 38 | March 2014

40 years! end occupation of

Cyprus

>> Developments on the Cyprus Problem

AKEL supports the resumption of the dialogue between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots The Anastasiades government's vacillations assist Turkey

2014

marks 40 years since NATO's double crime eignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality with against Cyprus which led to the occupation political equality of the two communities as defined in the UN Resoof 37% of its territory by Turkey and the de lutions. facto partition of our island and people.

In all previous years, Demetris Christofias defended the basic princiFor 40 years negotiations have been going on to find a solution that ples of the solution of the Cyprus problem and demonstrated a spirit will lead to the termination of the occupation and reunification of of good will towards the Turkish Cypriots. He put forth the demand Cyprus through its evolvement into a federal state, in which Greek for the abolition of the guarantees of Turkey, Britain and Greece Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will coexist peacefully. These eorts come up against the intransigent attitude of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership which insist on positions such as the partition of the island, the solution of confederation, the staying of the Turkish army and continuation of the system of foreign guarantors in Cyprus.

The election of Demetris Christofias in 2008 revived the hopes for progress on the Cyprus problem. Indeed, Demetris Christofias as President of the Republic of Cyprus took several international initiatives for pressure to be put on Turkey to change its stance. The delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus and the identification of natural gas reserves in the Cypriot EEZ have raised international interest in Cyprus. In addition, as the leader of the Greek Cypriot community, D. Christofias entered into negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and significant progress was registered in some aspects of the Cyprus problem. Negotiations began on the basis of the United Nations Resolutions on the Cyprus problems and the two Joint CommuniquĂŠs of the two leaders in which it was clarified that the basis of negotiations will be to find a bi-zonal bi-communal federal solution with a single sover-

The former President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias with the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat

over the Republic of Cyprus, which exist since independence was granted in 1960. He rejected the scenarios for Cyprus' accession to NATO or to the NATO programme "Partnership for Peace", maintaining the position that with the solution of the Cyprus problem Cyprus should be demilitarized.

Of particular importance was the philosophy of our proposals in relation to the functioning of the federal state that would emerge through the solution. In our view, the election of the executive power (e.g. President, Vice-President of the federal government) must be done in such a way as to eliminate the provisions (which existed in the 1960 Constitution too but also in various plans proposed for a solution) that wanted the Greek Cypriots (GC) and Turkish Cypriots (TC) to vote completely separately for their leaders and representatives to the state bodies. In our view, only when GC and TC vote together for the leadership of their common state based on political programmes will ethnic conflicts be overcome and political confrontation is transferred to an ideological and socio-class level.

However, Ankara's position, the support it receives from the American and NATO powers and the assumption of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community by the nationalist Dervis Eroglu prevented further progress in the negotiations.

In February 2013, the leader of the right-wing Democratic Rally party Nicos Anastasiades was elected to the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, with the support of the Democratic Party and the right-wing European Party. Anastasiades is trying to balance between the two extremist political lines as expressed by forces within his coalition government: on the one hand, the pro-American line that is willing to depart from the correct principles for the solution of the Cyprus problem and on the other, the rejectionist line that in essence opposes federation as a solution and in the final analysis the very idea of cohabitation with the Turkish Cypriots as well.

AKEL from the very beginning proposed to President Anastasiades

The President of Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Dervis Eroglou

that he should continue the efforts on the basis on which the Christofias-Talat negotiations were waged and build on the convergences that were agreed. AKEL warned the President that if he threw in the bin all that was agreed and the convergences recorded between Christofias and Talat, then Turkey and the current Turkish Cypriot leader would subsequently find the opportunity to disengage themselves and put new unacceptable demands. Furthermore, AKEL pointed out that it would not be possible to achieve a better text and then we will be forced either to make unacceptable compromises or to be apportioned the blame for the impasse.

The President did not share our position. The Cyprus government removed the references to the Christofias - Talat joint communiqués from the last resolution the UN Security Council and began the attempt to draw up a joint declaration. For five months hectic efforts were made, with the involvement of the UN, the U.S. and Turkey. The Turkish side objected to the references to a "single sovereignty" being included in the communique; references which the federal state will have, as they had in fact existed in the previous Christofias-Talat joint communiques. As AKEL predicted, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership want to disengage themselves from what was agreed in the previous years in order to bring back their partitionist positions to the negotiations.

Following the intervention of the Americans and British, eventually it became feasible in early February to agree on a Joint Declaration of the leaders of the two communities. Developments as they have evolved have vindicated AKEL's absolutely correct position.

Statement of the Political Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL on the Joint Communique, 8th February 2014 The conclusion of the Joint Declaration after a path of regressions which lasted for almost five months leads to the resumption of inter-communal negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, which constitute the only in effect way to reverse the current partitionist status quo and achieve a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of principles.

AKEL had warned from the outset that any attempt to disengage from the joint declarations agreed previously by Christofias - Talat, as well as from the convergences that were achieved for the sake of petty political expediences would lead us to unnecessary adventures with an uncertain outcome.

This policy of disengagement was supported by all the other parties.

Developments themselves have unfortunately vindicated our Party's assessments: 1. In the Christofias - Talat joint declarations there was an explicit reference to a single sovereignty. In the course of the negotiations, it was agreed that this single sovereignty would be indivisible and emanate equally from the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

In the Declaration there is a reference to a single sovereignty which is defined as the sovereignty enjoyed by all Member States of the United Nations in line with the UN Charter and emanating equally from the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

The deletion of the term "indivisible", combined with the addition that this is defined as the sovereignty enjoyed by all Member States of the United Nations in line with the UN Charter leaves no doubt that the external aspect of sovereignty is safeguarded in the Declaration, but the question of the internal aspect of sovereignty is left pending.

2. During the Christofias - Talat talks our position was that we do not discuss the residue of power before the federal competences are agreed. In the Declaration the residue is delegated to the constituent states without a commitment for adequate competences of the central government. If this is combined with the President's position for a decentralized federation, with which AKEL disagrees, the problem assumes bigger dimensions than perceived at first.

3. The reference to constituent states was indeed included also in

the Christofias - Talat joint communiqués but subsequently, when we ascertained interpretations in bad faith by the Turkish Cypriot side, this was changed in the documents that recorded convergences/divergences. In the documents in question, the reference was to federated units.

From the above it can be concluded that the Joint Declaration is lagging behind the Christofias - Talat joint communiques on specific points and mainly because the single sovereignty is safeguarded only with respect to its external dimension. In reality, AKEL's position that the disengagement from the Christofias - Talat joint statements could not have led to a better result has been vindicated.

What is most important now, if the negotiating process begins, is to learn from mistakes and draw the lesson because if convergences achieved previously are rejected then we are going to have similar or worse results. It is for this reason that we consider the reference in the Joint Declaration that all pending issues will be on the table as positive, as in effect it refers to a continuation of the talks from where they were left off.

AKEL underlines once again that the solution of the Cyprus problem is the top priority. If the President decides to proceed with talks, AKEL will once again act responsibly and constructively and back the negotiating process. We urge the President, with the resumption of negotiations if negotiations do begin, to be consistent on the principles of solution of the Cyprus problem and not commit regressions and contradictions. At the same time, it is imperative that he operates in a collective way and manner, as well as to conduct on-going consultations with the political parties aiming at achieving the greatest possible consensus. The views of all are of course respected and we do not call for an artificial deletion of disagreements. However, in view of the critical nature of the situation the way any possible different approaches are presented is also important.

The path ahead will be extremely difficult and seriousness will be demanded from all. We address an appeal to all the political parties to rise to the occasion and seek the greatest possible cooperation and understanding between us.

AKEL has pointed out that there is a real danger that an attempt will be made by the well-known imperialist circles to impose on our people a package that includes the "closure" of the Cyprus problem and turning the island over to NATO, in combination with the seizure of the Cypriot natural gas and the economic enslavement of our country, which besides is under the yoke of the Memorandum. Such solutions will never ever be accepted by AKEL and the Cypriot people.

On the other hand, AKEL does not compromise with the logic that refers the solution of the Cyprus problem into some indefinite time in the future, at the same time when the occupational and partitionist given situation would be consolidated on the ground. This is the reason why AKEL supports the procedure of the dialogue and simultaneously will also continue to express in a constructive manner its proposals, to warn about the pitfalls/traps and rebuke the vacillations of the Greek Cypriot side. AKEL will continue to call for a comprehensive briefing, collectivity within the framework of the National Council and absolute respect for the principles of the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Our goal remains a just solution of the Cyprus problem that will liberate, demilitarize and reunify our island; a solution that will open up a new page of progress, development and prosperity for our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. It will also be a great contribution to the cause of peace in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Solidarity with Murat Kanatli AKEL expresses its solidarity with our Turkish Cypriot compatriot Murat Kanatli, Organisational Secretary of the New Cyprus Party (YKP), who has been arrested by the occupational authorities today because of his refusal to serve his military service in the occupation army. At the same time AKEL denounces the action of the occupation army which once again is revealing its brutal character.

The fighter Murat Kanatli has repeatedly refused since 2009 to serve the occupation army invoking reasons of consciousness. He has preferred to remain with a clear conscious rather than serve an army that is partitioning until today his homeland and imposing occu-

pational faits accomplis.

Both he and his Party are struggling continuously for the termination of the occupation and for the reunification of the country. In the struggle for rapprochement the New Cyprus Party and AKEL have been on the same battle front many times.

AKEL reconfirms that it will remain in solidarity with all Cypriots, on either side of the occupational barbed wire of division who have as their vision a reunified Cyprus, a homeland for all its children, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

AKEL C.C Press OďŹƒce 25th February 2014

AKEL

has been and will remain at the forefront of the anti-occupation struggle for the peaceful liberation and real reunification of our country and people. That's why we support the procedure of the resumption of the talks, despite our disagreements with some aspects of the Joint Communiqué, which in any event must not continue to be glorified or demonized.

AKEL denounces President’s position for NATO guarantees

The President of the Republic must promote the long-standing agreed positions of the Greek Cypriot community as recorded in the unanimous decisions of the National Council. These positions provide for the withdrawal of the occupation forces and the demilitarization of Cyprus, with the addition of the assertion for the abolition of guarantees and rights of intervention to any third country. It is needless for an EU member-state and dangerous leftover of 1960, which has brought only destruction.

It is precisely for this reason that we express our intense displeasure regarding today's references made by the President of the Republic in an interview given to the "Kathimerini" newspaper. President Anastasiades' position that the issue of guarantees can be regulated fully with Cyprus' accession to the Partnership for Peace and subsequently to NATO is unacceptable and the perspective of such a solution will find us confronting him.

It is really worth questioning that while the government coalition is dissolving, at the same time when the Left and AKEL supports the procedure of the talks with selflessness, when the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem have not even been discussed why does Mr. Anastasiades opt for conflict, by highlighting an extremely ideological and dogmatic position supported by the Democratic Rally DISY party - namely the position that seeks to shackle Cyprus to the NATO machine, thus endangering the attempt at a common understanding?

We urge the President of the Republic to have second and wiser thoughts. The Cyprus problem has suffered from military interventions and is subject to the occupation of a NATO member state.

For the solution to be peaceful and lasting it must abolish armies and guarantees and not to make our homeland a NATO military base and launch pad with unforeseeable consequences for both our people and peace in the region.

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 23rd February 2014

>> Young Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots united against imperialism and partition

“United, federal Cyprus! Say no to partition!”

Bi-communal mass mobilisation in the Troodos mountain range against the presence of British bases on the island

T

he annual militant event organized by the youth organization of Left, EDON, held on the 2nd of February 2014, began with a march to the highest peak of Troodos mountains to the British radar installations where a protest meeting was held against the continual presence of British bases and troops in Cyprus. “We march to the British radar installations to protest at the continual presence of British troops in Cyprus. We are also protesting against the Anastasiades government's attempts to join NATO,” said Haris Karamanos.

The mobilisation and event also aimed at strengthening the ties between the two communities, as progressive Turkish Cypriots youth organizations are also participating every year in the event with their banners and flags. This year’s slogan was “United, federal Cyprus. Say no to partition!”

Following the march, the participants head to the picnic grounds at Platania for a concert by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot bands.

Extracts from the speech of the GS of the CC of AKEL, Andros Kyprianou On behalf of the Central Committee of AKEL I address a warm greeting to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth gathered here. I extend warm greetings to the youth of EDON, to the young people of Cyprus; to all the generations that have passed through the ranks of EDON and gather here every year in the annual mass excursion-mobilization of the Organization to the Troodos Mountain. Since the EDON militants ascended Troodos for the first time in 1959 to the EDON members and cadres today, much has changed around us. But the ideals that serve our cause remain the same. These banners are in the hands of the young people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who are struggling for the liberation, reunification and prosperity of their common homeland.

40 years of occupation and division are more than enough. The situation on the ground is changing dangerously. The Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas are being usurped and developed against their will. The settlers are growing continuously, directly threatening the identity of the Turkish Cypriot community. The colonisation is threatening the survival of both the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in the land of their birth.

The people of Cyprus have experienced much suffering. History owes it to Cyprus that its struggle is vindicated. But in the world we are living in, nothing is ever given. Everything must be gained through struggle.

On behlaf of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) Angelo Alvez, member of the PB of the CC of PCP addressed a militant greeting to the members of EDON. He expressed the full support of his party to the struggle for liberation and reunification of Cyprus.

Moreover he analysed the dramatic social situation in Portugal and confirmed the will for united resistance against the policies of EU and Troika.

T

Congress Dialogue" was held through the party newspaper “Haravgi” where a significant number of articles of Party members were published. At the same time the “Theses” were discussed in the Party Base Organisations.

In line with the relevant article of the Party Constitution a Public Pre-

On 15-16th of February 2014, the extraordinary Programmatic Congress of AKEL took place, where the Theses of the Central Committee and the Declaration of AKEL to the People of Cyprus, were approved.

he Plenum of the C.C. of AKEL, which convened on 1st November 2013, decided to hold a programmatic congress of the Party. On the 7th January 2014 the C.C. discussed the "Theses" which the Political Bureau presented. After a fruitful discussion the Plenary session of the C.C approved the "Theses"which were made public.

Declaration of the Programmatic Congress of AKEL

On

the occasion of the Programmatic Congress of AKEL conveys a warm militant greeting to all of the people of Cyprus.

Cyprus is at a very difficult and critical juncture. Our people and country are confronted with many problems and challenges. Among them two stand out, whose development will determine our country's present and future. The first problem is the occupation of a large part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and the de facto division which Turkey imposed by force of arms in 1974. The illegal presence of Turkey in Cyprus, the occupation and division pose huge dangers for our country. Forty years since the treacherous coup d'état of the Junta in Athens and EOKA B and the subsequent barbaric Turkish invasion with the passage of time consolidating the faits accomplis of the invasion and occupation, the achievement of a solution is an imperative necessity.

The safeguarding of a peaceful future is a prerequisite for achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem; a solution that will provide for the end of the Turkish occupation and to the colonization of the occupied areas, as well as ensuring the reunification of the country and people; a solution that will restore the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots in a demilitarized common homeland. Consistent with our position, but also with the long-standing position of the Greek Cypriot side for a solution that provides for demilitarization, we oppose the government's intention to join NATO and its offshoots, such as the Partnership for Peace. Our vision is for Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins to be able without outside interventions to build their own common future in conditions of lasting peace and security. The achievement of

such a solution makes the commitment and consistency on the UN resolutions regarding Cyprus imperative, which provide for a bi-zonal bi-communal federal solution with political equality as set out by the United Nations, the High-Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979 and on International and European law. This demands unwavering consistency to the principles of the solution of the Cyprus problem, but also realism in the formulation and exercise of policy.

The solution of the Cyprus problem is for AKEL the foremost patriotic priority. Proof of this is the fact that despite our Party's disagreement with the tactics the President pursued, with the support of all the other parties, for the drawing up of a joint communique and despite the fact that it falls short and is inferior to the Christofias-Talat joint statements and the relevant convergence recorded, AKEL backs the negotiating process. This fact does not alter the positions of the Party. On certain points there is a gulf of views separating us with the President of the Republic, as well as with all those forces who do not accept bi- communal, bi-zonal federation.

The path to achieving a solution will not be easy, or simple. There will be many difficulties in the negotiation. It is imperative that the President of the Republic must defend principles in this procedure that he promotes collective handling within the framework of the National Council, informs and constantly consults with the political forces. It is imperative that the five permanent UN Security Council members are involved within the framework of a multidimensional foreign policy.

On the domestic front consensus, wisdom and dialogue must prevail.

We need to reject the tactics of demonization, but also idealizing the

situation, and ensure that accountability and rationalism prevail. AKEL as always will work with seriousness, regardless of the fact that it was itself the victim of daily, relentless and unjust attacks during the governance of D. Christofias. AKEL will continue to act in the interests of Cyprus and our people.

The second problem we must tackle is the economic crisis plaguing our country. Cyprus is a victim of the systemic crisis of capitalism, which has hit the Eurozone particularly hard, but also the crisis of the country's banking system. The agreement of the Eurogroup with President Anastasiades for the haircut/levy on deposits has destroyed our economy and has plunged it into a vicious cycle regenerating and worsening recession. Working people, pensioners on low pensions, the SME's and the vulnerable groups of the population are all paying the cost of the crisis and recession. It is characteristic that with the imposition of the anti-peoples Memorandum, profits have in fact increased significantly, while the purchasing value of wages has returned to the levels of 1996.

Not only are the Anastasiades government and DISY not resisting the neoliberal attack of the Troika and its Memorandum, but they are using it as an excuse to promote their policies against the people and their interests. Not only is the Anastasiades government not discussing any other solution for an exit from the Memorandum, not only is he not confining itself to its faithful implementation, but it is acting as more "Troikanist" than even the Troika itself by imposing additional measures against the people and their interests. This however leads to the impoverishment of a large part of the population, increases unemployment at an alarming rate, exacerbating labour conditions at the expense of workers, selling-out public wealth, dismantling the welfare state and eliminating any prospect of an exit from the crisis.

AKEL has submitted a comprehensive proposal for the speedy disengagement from the Memorandum. Unfortunately, the government stubbornly refuses to discuss this proposal. It is obvious that the government and parties who support it are keeping Cyprus trapped in the deadlocks of the Memorandum which is driving our country many decades back to the past. AKEL does not limit itself only to the proposal for a disengagement from the Memorandum. It promotes, both inside and outside Parliament, proposals for alleviating the problems our people face, to prevent privatizations and protect public wealth, to

boost development and back the welfare state. Here too AKEL unfortunately confronts the ruling powers reaction.

The management of the hydrocarbons, the discovery of which represents a great achievement of the Christofias government, has become a matter of life for the country and our people. Regretfully, the delays, as well as the government's decision to restrict the role of the state and transfer the management of the infrastructures to private capital, arouse reasonable suspicions and worries. The formation of a National Council for the collective and sound management of natural gas to the benefit of society is imperative.

In these critical times Cyprus is going through, AKEL once again declares that it will be at the forefront of all the struggles. Consistent and steadfast to its human-centred ideology, inspired by its ideals, loyal to its historical traditions and the perspective of socialism, AKEL united and renewed, is in the front line of the struggle for the liberation and reunification of our country and people, the promotion of the policy of rapprochement against nationalism - chauvinism. The President of the Republic has an obligation to combat nationalism and we urge him to do so. AKEL is leading the struggle so that Cyprus will be able to advance forward with certainty to a future free from any Memoranda commitments. AKEL is at the forefront of the struggle to build a new economic model that will support the mixed economy and have the common people and their basic needs at its heart; to combat corruption and interweaving interests and promote transparency and social control.

AKEL is waging a fierce struggle to defend working peoples and society's gains and rights. It is waging a fierce struggle to build the perspective which will emerge from the resistance to the Troika and the neoliberal policies that the European Union is institutionalising and enforcing. Another way is possible for Cyprus and we can achieve it.

AKEL addresses all the working people, the unemployed , pensioners, small and middle strata, the youth, women, all those suocating under the weight of the neoliberal onslaught and the Anastasiades government's policies against the peoples interests and urges them to join us for a dignified present and for a better tomorrow for our Cyprus.

We deserve it! We can achieve it!

On

Speech of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL at the Programmatic Congress

behalf of the Cent r a l Committee of AKEL I welcome you all to the Programmatic Congress which we aspire will put its mark on our Party’s course to the future.

The Programming Congress is the culmination of a procedure of internal party discussions held over many months; a procedure that began after the Presidential Elections. All this time we dealt with the evaluation of the election results and our assessment of the 5-year administration of comrade D. Christofias. We fulfilled the pledge we made immediately after the Presidential Elections.

We had two rounds of discussions in the AKEL Party Base Organizations. We discussed everything in a constructive and open manner. We listened very carefully to the party grassroots opinions on all the issues. We listened very carefully and hear the messages conveyed by the people as well. We studied and are studying these views. Besides, this was also one of main objectives of the preCongress Dialogue and Congress: to grasp the messages and elaborate positions and policies emanating from the fundamental principles that guide us, but also from working people’s concerns, worries and agony. We share these concerns. We exist and struggle in this country to serve their interests. We trusted the working people and their criterion in this process as well: the criterion of our own class, the class of the working people, small and middle strata, the youth, farmers and the people. This was the foundation stone upon which the positions we will be discussing in the Congress were built on.

We also evaluated the situation that has evolved since the election of the Anastasiades government. The developments that followed it were swift. The events and policies that spawned the Memorandum of March 2013 created unprecedented conditions for our country. These conditions demand from a political force with our own tradition, history and consistency, serious evaluations and positions. It is our Party’s obligation, priority and task to resist the attack on the people and their interests; to defend everything our people have won through their toil, struggles and sacrifices.

That’s why we’re here today – to elaborate freely and democratically positions that will enhance our ability to wage victorious struggles; that will help us to become the force of the people to build their future; to reaffirm that AKEL means resistance to policies against people’s interests; that AKEL means struggle, the hope and the perspective for a better future.

I clarify that I will not analyse the past in detail. Besides, this is not the objective of the Congress. I will simply make a general reference to the past and we shall look to the future. This is the goal of our two-day Congress: to look at our country’s future and perspective. I stress from the beginning that the Congress is divided into four parts. On each theme there will be an introductory speaker who will develop two chapters. Subsequently a debate will take place, while at the end we shall approve our decisions.

AKEL, together with the Democratic Party (DIKO) and the Socialist Party (EDEK) cooperated in the governance of the country in 2008, with Demetris Christofias as President of the Republic. Although the government produced a rich and multifaceted work, the obstacles we encountered in the talks for a solution of the Cyprus problem and the unprecedented global capitalist crisis, rendered the context in which we worked incredibly difficult.

On the one hand, we had to fight against Turkish intransigence at the negotiating table and Turkey as a powerful opponent in the international field. On the domestic front, we faced an unprecedented war unleashed against us. Even long-standing positions of the Greek Cypriot side on the Cyprus problem were questioned, which day by day split the unity that should have existed in a period when talks are conducted. Unfortunately Mr. Anastasiades and the Democratic Rally party (DISY) distorting our long-standing positions, joined forces with the rest of the parties against the handling of Demetris Christofias on the Cyprus problem. The nearer we approached the presidential elections, the more he shared positions which he had previously characterised as “rejectionist” and “dead-end.”

On the other hand, we had to tackle the consequences of the economic crisis. On some issues there was some consensus that permitted agreement on numerous measures that corrected long-standing distortions.

However, the differences in political philosophy, the interests and petty party considerations were not put aside and did not allow us to achieve all that we wanted. When decisions had to be taken, these interests and narrow-minded party expediencies surfaced.

After the accident at the Mari naval base, logic and wisdom were replaced by hysteria and levelling. Human suffering was subject to political exploitation. The political and personal attack against Demetris Christofias and AKEL was certainly not just about the tragic explosion. It was to a large extent an attack on the positions of the Left on the Cyprus problem, the economy and a number of other issues. We all remember that at the demonstrations outside the Presidential Palace, many were inciting, applauding and cheering partitionist positions on the Cyprus problem; xenophobic, racist and tragically dangerous positions for the political life of the country and democracy; positions which, as we had warned, Mr. Anastasiades would confront today.

The atmosphere created at that time unfortunately cultivated political hysteria and levelling. An attempt was made to promote the belief that nothing right was done during the Christofias administration. I will merely point out some important achievements to prove how unjust

and unsubstantiated this attempt was. More and more people will increasingly realise this.

During the five year term, the process for conducting explorations to discover natural gas in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone was completed successfully, as well as the process of tender, a procedure that encountered many obstacles. We all remember the constant threats issued by Turkey. As a result of the correct handling of the issue made by the President and the Government, the international community supported our sovereign right to conduct the drilling. It is no exaggeration to say that this was Turkey’s first major political defeat since 1974.The successful exercising of the first Presidency of the European Union by the Republic of Cyprus has a prominent place.

On the Cyprus problem, many and significant convergences were registered. One of these is the convergence for a single and indivisible sovereignty; a convergence which regretfully today was not made possible to be reconfirmed.

On socio-economic issues, no matter how much discussion might be held, no one can deny that D.Christofias upheld a line of resistance when confronted by unacceptable demands against the peoples interests; a policy of defending working people, public wealth and protecting those in need. No matter how fanatical someone may be, he/she cannot but acknowledge this fact. Today we all understand why the lenders waited for the government to change in order to demand additional conditions and terms, such as the haircut/levy on bank deposits, the promotion of privatizations and much more.

In the 2013 Presidential Elections the independent candidacy of Stavros Malas, which AKEL supported, received 43% of the vote; a percentage that demonstrated the confidence of the people in the proposals submitted by the Left; a trust that did not manage to cover the dark clouds of the political attacks on AKEL, no matter how vicious these were. The result proved that the left forces have many possibilities to give another perspective for the country.

Saying all that, we do not praise ourselves. Various events gave the right to quite a few circles to question our consistency in our positions and effectiveness in policies; to attack our moral standing. Just the fact that we were being accused on these two characteristics which for AKEL were always indisputable, puzzled us. That is why we did not yield. We proceeded in a self-critical manner.

AKEL, unlike other parties and forces, doesn’t change its positions for petty electioneering purposes. We are the only force that carries out self-criticism fearlessly, in a comprehensive and well-documented way

by waging a free discussion. Only those who do nothing do not make any mistakes. But whoever willingly judges us for our mistakes, should judge us on the substance of our policies and positions. If they do, they will conclude that in most cases AKEL’s policies are vindicated by life itself. I will give some examples to prove the point.

For many years they were discrediting us because of our positions regarding the European Union. They called our Party “dogmatic and stuck in the past” because it can’t perceive the European Union as a ‘”family” where “solidarity between equal partners” prevails.

current deputy government spokesman and journalist back then that “the crisis was brought on by all those who did not manage the state’s finances properly.” Indeed he suggested to the journalist Mr. Victor Papadopoulos that if he believes that it is the banks that created the Cyprus crisis, then he has fallen victim of the propaganda of the Christofias Government! Today everyone admits the big problem of the Cyprus economy is the black hole of the banking sector.

We insisted on our position that profits should be taxed and that the the consequences of the crisis must not be put on working peoples backs. We were accused that we want to “choke entrepreneurship.”

Today, based on the policies being imposed by the Troika and impleWhen Cyprus joined the European Union, AKEL’s Declaration, mented by the Government what is occurring is expected. According among other things, pointed out that, “AKEL is aware of what the Eu- to figures released by the European Commission, the profitability of ropean Union is. It constitutes a regional integration which based at businesses in Cyprus has increased by 10.5%. In 2014 this profitability least on the current facts is founded upon neoliberal policies that are will reach the highest point of the last 20 years. At the same time wages by the end of 2014 will be reduced by far from our own visions and conception of so30%, profits of 4.2 billion Euros a year cial justice.” In November 2010, AKEL insisted will be recorded and wages of 500 on denouncing the “character of the European According to figures reEuros or less per month.

Union as an advanced form of capitalist politleased by the European Comical and economic integration” and noted that mission, the profitability of Today all these positions are being vin“it is increasingly being understood that the dedicated. This of course does not mean cisions taken in Brussels and the situation prebusinesses in Cyprus has inthat we hesitate to look at ourselves vailing in the European Union affects the lives creased by 10.5%. In 2014 this self-critically; to identify our mistakes of Cypriots.” In December 2011, in the debate profitability will reach the and learn from them; to constantly corto approve the State Budget AKEL had stressed highest point of the last 20 rect ourselves and move forward. This that “what the ruling forces of the European is what we sought to do over the past Union are seeking is to tackle the economic sityears. At the same time wages few months, taking specific measures. uation in each country in a completely dogby the end of 2014 will be rematic and extreme way.” We were then accused duced by 30%, profits of 4.2 We base our attempt to renew and of being ideologically obsessive. However, strengthen our Party on two axes: who can today refute these truths – indeed billion Euros a year will be firstly, on the organizational restructurat the same time when the President of the recorded and wages of 500 ing and strengthening of our Party and Republic himself is claiming that he was Euros or less per month. secondly in the formulation of clear blackmailed into taking decisions about the policy positions on the most important future of Cyprus and the Cypriot people? issues facing the people, but also our The day when Cyprus joined the Euro, AKEL stressed that this was movement. We have already proceeded to renew the Secretariat and the beginning of a difficult journey with problems and challenges. That the Political Bureau because constant renewal for us is like oxygen. same day the Democratic Rally party rushed to condemn AKEL, stat- This was preceded by the change in the leadership in three District ing that it confirms its “anti-European frenzy” and “ideological and po- Committees. At the same time we called for an on-going litical fixations which are keeping our country glued to the past.” Today evaluation/assessment of the work of Party Base Organisations. The more and more people recognize that our membership in the Euro- aim is to help them function properly and improve their contacts with zone was a hasty move that limited our ability to exercise policy and the people; to take intense actions and interventions in local communities, in order to solve local problems and provide support to those contributed to the growth of problems in the Cypriot economy. most in need.

When we were pointing out that the crisis in Cyprus was caused by the erroneous decisions of banks and not by the “reckless policy of The second axis is the formulation of clear policy positions which is handing out cheques to people” as the current President of the DISY why we are here today. After a tumultuous five years and the rapid departy Averof Neophytou had characterised the social policy of the velopments of last March, we judged it was necessary to discuss the Christofias administration, at that time the entire opposition in unison main issues affecting our country; to reaffirm positions and policies. were complaining day and night that “measures are not being taken, Our guiding compass of course is not what others propose that AKEL that is why we had to take recourse to the Troika.” We had then invoked must do or not do. We are guided by the interests of the people; the numerous statements made by European officials, and particularly the interests of the working people. The “Theses” before you today in the statements of the representative of the Troika in Cyprus M. Verveik Congress have a concrete orientation, a class based orientation. They who stated clearly that “The view arguing that this is a debt crisis is are in confrontation with the establishment, conservatism, racism, namisleading… the main problems, regarding the causes of the crisis, lie tionalism and chauvinism. They give our Party strength to struggle in the decisions of the banks.” However in that same period, Mr. Anas- against all that is threatening the future of our people and working peotasiades was trying to convince a memorable televised debate with the ple’s gains.

>>

Our Party was not founded by the privileged few, spoiled and “enlightened”. AKEL, the Party of the People, was formed because it was a historical need. Since then we have guided the people of Cyprus in their biggest and often bloody struggles. We fought together for the self-evident right to live as Cypriots in a free homeland. We were at the forefront of the struggles of the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots for wages. We won the battle with them for an eight hour working day, social insurance, the Automatic Cost of Living Allowance and other important labour and workers’ rights, through bloody class battles. We opened up the consciousness of the workers and farmers through the activities of our local educational, cultural and sports clubs. We put our own mark on every one of the biggest and most important social and political popular gains, through our presence and struggles. (...)

This Congress will of course also discuss economic issues. The debate on how things developed in the Cyprus economy has been conducted many times. Superficial and fanatical analyses of the type “Christofias and AKEL are to blame for everything” are not convincing anymore.

As time passes each and every one can understand that whatever may have happened during the Christofias administration, the working people, young, small and medium businesses, the popular strata, had an ally in the President Anastasiades was elected because he managed to convince the majority of people that he could do better. He pledged that there was no way he would accept a haircut/levy on bank deposits; that he had concluded two interstate loans that would give him the ease to negotiate with the Troika in order to change painful provisions of the Memorandum. He pledged that he had no intention of implementing privatizations. Eventually all that happened in March 2013 gave another meaning to the word “pledge”.

Overnight, Cyprus became the guinea pig of the lenders. The “big European family” made Cyprus the biggest victim of “family violence”.

The banking sector was restructured and downsized forcibly, causing households and SMEs and other businesses to face unprecedented difficulties in meeting their obligations. Additional cuts in public spending were imposed leading to significantly reduced available income for consumption. The Anastasiades Government accepted privatizations, a decision that paved the way for selling-off public property.

The Anastasiades Government claims that the Memorandum is the only way forward. We say that the Memorandum is a dead-end path. The Cyprus economy registers one of the worst figures in the field of development. For 2013 the “optimistic scenario” foresees a recession of 5.5%. The public debt has already surpassed 110%

of the GDP, while the Troika’s evaluations say that by 2016 there will be no primary surplus to reverse the exponential course registered. Unemployment has reached at the end of November 17.5%, while youth unemployment exceeds 40%. Non-performing loans in the banking sector have reached €24,1 billion, while banks have stopped lending to the real economy, leading to the recession deepening.

One year after the implementation of the Memorandum, the people are anxiously waiting for the “spring” promised by Mr. Anastasiades.

The people do not see it on the horizon. They are daily experiencing the government’s conviction that “the difficult times have passed.”

However what the people are living are the real difficulties they encounter every day, difficulties that are suffocating them day to day in a policy designed to serve the profits of the privileged few. I am not just talking about the Troika’s demands, but also about the political decisions taken by the Government. How else can one interpret the fact that everyone, without exception, was called upon to pay tax on immovable property to alleviate, as the Minister of Interior had publicly stated, “those who will kick-start the economy”? How else can you interpret the policy decision to extend the opening hours of shops? Is there someone who does not know whose demand this was and to whom it will bring profits to, strangling thousands of small and middle strata?

How can we be optimistic and say that the “difficult times are over”?

Just a few months ago new provisions were incorporated in the Memorandum; provisions prohibiting the protection of the primary residence from confiscations; provisions prohibiting the reduction of interest rates. These provisions render the infrastructures for the nat-

ural gas to the dictates of the Troika. How confident can we be, when the cuts in education and health will rise to more than 70 million Euros?

Unfortunately the compliments given by the Troika to the Government are not enough to offer a way out to the thousands of Cypriots facing the future with uncertainty. Whenever AKEL points out the deadlock in which the Cyprus is being plunged, it faces the same repetitive degradation: “AKEL should shut up.” AKEL will not abandon its right and duty to defend the people and workers. It will continue to

struggle, both inside and outside Parliament. It will continue and intensify its efforts to mobilize the people to raise the voice of protest against the storm of policies against the peoples interests.

AKEL will continue to speak out. That is why it is also submitting proposals The time has come for the Anastasiades Government to stop preparing just dictates and start listening; to create preconditions for consultation, before it’s too late. It’s time for President Anastasiades to be more beneficial for the country and less likeable to the Troika; to rethink the proposals we tabled for the proper management of our natural wealth, reducing rents and safeguard the protection of primary residence; to suspend the prosecution for debts to the public sector, the restructuring and extension of loans, settlement of the financial obligations of SMEs and to cancel the decree extending the opening hours of shops. It’s time to begin to govern, not simply to obey the Troika’s orders.

Across the whole of Europe the Troika is being questioned and challenged. We certainly do not believe that its abolition is enough, if its policies are not reversed in practice. Those in power and government are the only ones daring not to resist the lenders. Throughout Europe the future of the Eurozone itself is under discussion for some time.

Politicians, academics, economists and analysts are debating, reflecting and exchanging opinions. Only in Cyprus is this dialogue not permitted. Only in Cyprus , where for the first time a comprehensive study to exit the Memorandum and for orderly exit from the Euro zone was submitted, are we not allowed to reflect and have a debate. The analysis of AKEL came to the conclusion that an exit from the Memorandum also means an exit from the Euro. However such a serious decision cannot be taken without reflection and consultation. This is precisely the reason why we issued an appeal to President Anastasiades to discuss collectively how we can come up with solutions to the problem that exists. So far, we receive only scorn and aphorisms, which among other things, insults everyone’s intelligence.

What do they reply? “AKEL wants us to leave the Euro. This means that we will also leave the European Union.” Are the ten Member States of the European Union which are outside the Eurozone perhaps outside the EU? Lets clear things up yet once more. AKEL is unequivocally in favour of Europe – however, not the Europe which the friends of Mr. Anastasiades have built. We are in favour of the Europe of peace and democracy; in favour of the Europe of social justice, solidarity and cohesion; in favour of the Europe of the peoples.

“The proposal of AKEL is naive, frivolous and superficial.” The proposal of AKEL is well though out, and includes economic, legal and technical parameters, which I wish if only everyone had them in mind at the time when we were accepting disastrous demands such as the haircut/levy on bank deposits. Unless that is we consider as naive, superficial and frivolous Nobel Prize winners, economists like Mr. Pissarides or Paul Krugman who raised exactly the same concerns.

“With AKEL’s proposal there will be terrible shortages in imported products and medicines.” I will not go into detail to answer this claim, but will just ask the obvious. Aren’t they aware that there are already shortages in medicines – shortages leading to patients deaths? But there is another issue. With income reduced to a minimum as a result of the Memorandum how easy is it today for a household to buy an imported product or medicines? “Either a Memorandum or bankruptcy” they say. But can someone describe to us how different is bankruptcy from what we are living through today?

“They should look at Ireland which has succeeded” is the last argument of those who insist on seeing the Memorandum as the only alternative.

In Ireland, the recession of recent years has affected the price of immovable property so much that the value of the guarantees on the loans given by banks has fallen to an extent that a new program of recapitalization of the Irish banks may be necessary in the future. The total depreciation suffered by the Irish economy has significantly reduced the standard of living of the Irish people. The main thing how-

ever is that Ireland’s exit from the Memorandum is frail. Ireland has not been relieved of austerity unemployment and privatizations. The only difference is that now the Memorandum is now the official policy of the Government, as an ideology that has infused the country’s economic policy.

AKEL did not elaborate its study for an exit from the Memorandum to follow events by judging from afar. We shall submit to the President, besides the proposals I have mentioned, other proposals as well as to support the economy and tackle unemployment plaguing the country, with the hope they will be promoted by the Government. We will continue to strive to protect those who are in need, especially now that poverty is growing.

We are confident that AKEL will emerge stronger from this Congress.

Let’s be honest: we have been under such political attack in recent years, that one could say that doubts were raised in a section of AKEL’s supporters. However our Party has never overcome the difficulties by questioning its own self, as it has never allowed the qualitative difference from the other parties to be questioned. We must all realize that we are responsible to the party whenever we identify or tolerate phenomena alien to the party life of AKEL. Behaviours such as self-motivating ambitions, self-promotion, the development of cliental relationships are alien to the status of a member of AKEL Moreover, they must remain so if we are not to lose the confidence with which we the people have entrusted in us for 90 years.

The leadership of the Party, but also all the party cadres, should be resolute and dare I say merciless and implacable on this issue.

AKEL is not only those who are in this hall today. AKEL is so many others outside this conference hall, waiting for us to reaffirm the role of the radical force that is the peoples shield. We have no right to disappoint them. For this reason we should not get bogged down in dis-

cussions, but devote all our energies in the work that lies ahead.

AKEL is not the daily work of its full-time cadres. It is the people’s river of thousands who can be found anywhere, in neighbourhoods, local clubs and communities. AKEL is not only the party cadres and members. It is also all of these politicized people with whom we can meet in joint actions, for the modernization and democratization of the state and society. It is all these people who are suffocating from the outdated perceptions that want to keep our society tied to the old and rotten.

We may have our own analysis on society and the economy, about the system in which we live, but that does not mean we cannot talk with them, hear ideas and positions and to take joint initiatives.

Many were quick to throw down the flags in the avenues we struggled.

Many others claimed that our guidelines and horizons had changed.

Many others believed that they were doing us a favour by tolerating us.

They were not all just a few.

However, they are also not enough to make us yield and surrender because the Peoples Movement of the Left, all of us, no one is able to stop us each time we stand up and resist, defend this country, win for the people and safeguard the future!

New members of the Central Secretariat and Political Bureau of AKEL

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he Central Committee of AKEL convened on the 20th of December 2013 to elect new members to the Central Secretariat of the C.C and the Political Bureau.

As Andros Kyprianou, GS of AKEL stated four members of the Secretariat of the Central Committee and five members of the Political Bureau announced their desire to step down.

Furthermore, the Parliamentary Spokesman of AKEL Nicos Katsourides expressed his desire to step down from this position from the moment that he would also step down from both the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the C.C. Given the situation, the Central Committee discussed nominations both for the Political Bureau and the Secretariat and after a secret ballot arrived at the following results.

Nikos Ioannou

Giorgos Loukaides

Newly elected members of the 19member Political Bureau by the C.C are Giorgos Loucaides, Toumazos Tsiellepis, Giorgos Georgiou, Chrystalla Antoniou and Christos Christofides.

Regarding the 7member Secretariat of the C.C election which followed given that its members come from the Political Bureau, the members who were elected by the Central Committee were Nicos Ioannou, Giorgos Loucaides, Stefanos Stefanou, and Neoklis Sylikiotis. These four comrades, with the GS of AKEL Andros Kyprianou, the Organisational Secretary of the Party Christos Alekou and the GS of PEO (trade union) Pampis Kyritsis consist the Secretariat of the C.C. of AKEL. In his statement after the announcement of the result, Andros Kyprianou said that "the Plenary of the C.C has completed a debate that began in the Party's bodies since last June when discussions began on the Secretariat of the C.C "regarding whether we would proceed decisively towards renewal and also in order to respond to issues also raised by the Party base membership, but also by the demands of Cypriot society itself."

Stefanos Stefanou

Neoklis Silikiotis

"The process of renewal is on-going and we believe that it enhances the capabilities of the Party to respond more eectively to the challenges ahead", noted the General Secretary of AKEL. The GS of AKEL added that this concept of renewal and how the Party could address some other issues began with an exchange of

Giorgos Georgiou

Toumazos Tsielepis

Christos Christophides

views at the level of the Secretariat. Subsequently, the discussion expanded to the Political Bureau and the C.C. "Through the reflection conducted in the Secretariat and Political Bureau changes were decided at three levels. First and foremost, for changes in the same General Secretariat where five members of the PB announced their decision to step down, giving the opportunity to move towards a partial renewal of the Secretariat.

In the recent 2010 Party Congress we had a big renewal in the Sec-

Chrystalla Antoniou

retariat, around 50% of its members and it now includes five new members, noted the General Secretary of AKEL. The GS of AKEL thanked the cadres stepping down from the Secretariat and Political Bureau, namely Venizelos Zanettos, Fanis Christodoulou, Nicos Katsourides, Yiannakis Colokasides and Nicos Petrou, stating that "They have all contributed decisively towards AKEL reaching the position it is today, that is to say high in the consciousness of Cypriot society."

Yiannos Lamaris, the new Parliamentary Spokesman of AKEL On the 7th of January, the Plenary of the C.C. of AKEL also dealt with the issue of the election of a new Parliamentary Spokesman of AKEL, as provided for in the relevant article of the Party Constitution.

Since the Plenary was informed about the position expressed by the Parliamentary Group of AKEL on the issue it decided, through a ballot, to elect Yiannos Lamaris to the position of Parliamentary Spokesman of the Party.

Yiannos Lamaris

Changes in the leadership of three District Party Committees The renewal of the Secretariat and the Political Bureau was preceded by the change in the leadership in three out of five District Party Committees.

Stefanos Stefanou elected Secretary of AKEL of Nicosia-Keryneia, Giorgos Georgiou Secretary of AKEL of Limassol and Chrysanthos Zannettos Secretary of AKEL of Famagusta.

Stefanos Stefanou

Giorgos Georgiou

Chrysanthos Zannettos

>> Cyprus’ class based trade union organisation PEO (Pancyprian Federation of Labour) is playing a pioneering role in forging class unity and joint action, and is in the front line of all the daily "small" and big struggles.

The Cypriot people against austerity and the Troika’s Memorandum

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ore than 10,000 people gathered in Nicosia streets on the 14th of December, in one of the bigger mobilizations that have taken place in Cyprus during the last years, condemning the austerity measures, the demolition of the workers’ conquests and the plans for privatizations.

The mobilization was organized by the majority of the Cypriot trade unions (“PEO” which is the biggest and class based trade union of Cyprus and “DEOK” which is affiliated with Socialdemocrats), “EKA” (Cyprus Farmers Association), PSEM (Secondary Education Student Union), Universities’ students’ unions and EKYSY (pensioners union).

AKEL and EDON backed and participated actively in the mobilization that had taken place outside the Finance Ministry and afterwards in front of the Presidential Palace.

The united response of broad sections of the working people express the demand for another course and path, far from the suffocating policies of the Troika and Brussels. The brutal and on-going cuts and attacks on workers rights and gains are taking place on all fronts. This mass movement believes, despite its different class and political orientations, that the path of the Memorandum and the Troika is a deadend path and that as long as Cyprus is proceeding on this course the more it will be plunged into even greater deadlocks and problems, as is the case of the other countries under a Memorandum.

The massive participation of people and organizations in the mobilization has given the message that the huge mobilization was just the beginning of a social struggle that it is going to be continued. The message to the government and the EU was clear: their policies will not pass

without social resistance and struggle – an alternative progressive path is possible.

“Hands off Education - Students - Our Future”

“Construction workers: Stop the mockery - Take measures for the unemployment”

“Hands off pensioners”

On February 8th, a new mass protest mobilisation took place organised by over 20 trade union and social organisation in Nicosia.

Thousands of workers, farmers, pensioners, workers in the public sector, teachers, pupils, students and others took part in the symbolic encirclement of the Ministry of Finance and Labour, the "House of Europe" and the Cooperative Central Bank at the same time when the Anastasiades government and the delegation of the Troika were locked in talks inside the Ministries formulating the new updated Memorandum....

Student mobilizations against school bus fares PSEM (Pancyprian School Students Union) organised mass mobilisations throughout Cyprus against the introduction of fares on school buses on 7th November. The students demanded from the Ministers of Transport and Education that they abandon their efforts to introduce fares in public school buses.

The free access to public buses for students, a long-term demand of the PSEM and EDON, was a measure implemented by the previous government of Demetris Christofias.

The organized Pensioners reject the cuts in their gains The “EKISI” (progressive Pensioners’ Organization) organized several demonstrations outside the Finance Ministry during the last months.

One of the biggest demonstrations had taken place on the 5th of December. The pensioners is one of the main groups of the society that have been affected by the austerity measures with 30% reductions in the pensions, abolition of several rights (free access in public buses and public medical services, Easter’s subsidy), VAT increase etc.

Popular Social Solidarity Network

D

uring the last years in Cyprus several factors and institutions of the society such as the Church, the Red Cross and entrepreneurs have established several funds and networks of social assistance for people facing the most negative consequences of the capitalist crisis. AKEL has decided apart from providing its Political Proposal regarding an exit from the Memorandum with the Troika and being in the front of the struggle of the working class, to establish a solidarity mechanism for the social strata in need for socio-economic assistance.

Thus, District Committees of the Party in each of the five regions of the country and mass organizations of the progressive Popular Movement such as PEO (trade union), EDON (youth organization), POGO (women’s organization) and EKA (farmers movement) have established the Popular Social Solidarity Network that aims to the aid provision and active support to people facing grave socio-economic obstacles due to the economic-capitalist crisis.

PEO Pancyprian Federation of Labour (trade union)

EDON United Democratic Youth Organisation

Within the network various social forces and freelancers joined voluntarily by providing free services (e.g. doctors, teachers, lawyers etc).

The Network is coordinated by an Administrative Committee and is oering services in eight basic domains: Information-GuidancePsychosocial Center, Educational Assistance (free courses to students), Financial Guidance Center (Counselors for dealing with issues such as debts etc), Medical Services, Center of Guidance to unemployed people, Legal Assistance (free legal advices), Provision of clothing and Entertainment Center for the youth (involving young people in cultural and sporting associations and events). Any person is able to come in contact with the Network and ask relevant assistance in the above domains and the personnel of the Network is responding accordingly.

POGO Women’s Movement

EKA Cyprus Farmers Union

Not for sale! >> semi-state organisations of electricity, telecommunications and ports

Social struggle against privatisations The Electricity Authority of Cyprus, the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority and the Cyprus Ports Authority are the three main Semistate organizations in Cyprus. They have always been profitable organizations generating significant revenues for the State of Cyprus, whilst they carried out autonomously an important social work too.

Their privatisation was the long-standing target for big capital of our country and its party, Democratic Rally DISY, which also constituted its oďŹƒcial position. During the decade 1993-2003 when DISY was again in power, attempts were made to privatize them, on the pretext of the liberalization of the market that was imposed in these sectors by the EU during Cyprus' accession process. Indeed, at that time DISY had predicted for example that the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority would collapse in the environment of free competition. However, the social reaction had then stopped these plans and the Semi-state organizations continued to be profitable and enjoy the support of the overwhelming majority of society.

The dire economic situation in Cyprus - due to the collapse of its banking system - and the subsequent recourse to the Troika again brought back the issue of the privatization of the Semi-state organisations. In the negotiations for the drawing up of the Memorandum, the Christofias government strongly rejected the Troika's demands for their privatization.

During the election campaign for the presidential elections of February 2013, the current President of Cyprus and President of the Democratic Rally N. Anastasiades was forced to completely revise his positions, sending a written commitment to all the employees working in the Semi-state organizations and to the Democratic Party (with whom it had in the meantime formed an alliance) that he will not proceed to any privatizations, whilst leaving the possibility open for some form

of joint s to c k companies.

A K E L and its candidate warned the workers that they should not believe the pre-election mutations of the Democratic R a l l y party.

A K E L stressed that neither privatization nor joint stock companies must be accepted but instead the Semi-state organizations should be modernized, without changing their ownership and that their social mission should continue.

The election of Anastasiades however to the Presidency of the State led to the conclusion of a Memorandum that was vehemently against the people and their interests, which inter alia included the privatization of the three Semi-state organisations. Indeed, although the government initially tried to present privatization as a "nec-

essary evil" imposed by the Troika for the loan to be given to Cyprus, subsequently it began to argue in favour of the benefits of privatization and that privatisations should have been carried out long ago. Besides, the Troika's spokeswoman herself, Delia Velculescu in an interview made it clear that privatizations "are not just about the money" but because this is the orientation that they want to impose on the Cyprus economy. The relevant statements made by the Minister of Finance to the British daily newspaper "Daily Telegraph" that "We're aligned with the Troika ... The memorandum could have been our own manifesto. It's a chance to correct our own shortcomings, and do what should have been done in Cyprus long ago" are on their own quite revealing about the government's true positions.

Workers in the Semi-state organizations have now realized the great deception that was committed against them by the Democratic Rally party and Anastasiades. Strikes and demonstrations are taking place repeatedly since the beginning of 2014. A large section of society understands that privatization means the selling o of public property, the surrender and transfer of profitable organizations into the hands of private monopolies, sackings and price increases. As AKEL points out, apart from the ideological and economic aspects of the issue, there is also the issue of national security of the state (40% of the territory of which is under the military occupation of Turkey) which in the event of privatizations will lose control of the ports, the telecommunications and electricity with all that this would entail.

The government violated Parliament's Rules to pass privatizations On the 27th February, despite all the relentless government propaganda and blackmail promoted by the mass media, the Bill tabled for privatisations failed to get an absolute majority with 25 for, 25 against and 5 abstentions, rendering the Bill null. 19 AKEL MP's, 5 MP's from the Socialdemocratic party EDEK and 1 Green MP voted against, whilst 5 MPs of the centre DIKO party (which under its new leader-

ship decided to exit the government coalition due to disagreements on the Cyprus problem) abstained. Outside the House thousands of workers and people demonstrated, following the 2 day debate after a call by 18 trade union and social organisations.

The vote was followed by a new wave of blackmail arguing that Cyprus will not receive the next instalment from the Troika and consequently the state will collapse. As Andros Kyprianou, the General Secretary of AKEL pointed out, it is obvious that there is a collusion between the Troika and the Anastasiades government to exert pressure on the House. Just hours after the rejection, the government resubmitted the same Bill with decorative changes. AKEL sent a letter to Speaker of the House pointing out that such an action violates the rules of the House, urging him not to accept the tabling of the topic for discussion. This action by the government wasn’t just disrespectful to the House of Representatives; it humiliated the institutions, dealt a blow to democracy and degraded the dignity of citizens and society.

In the next session of the House on 4th March 2014, only the AKEL MP's backed the position that the issue cannot be re-discussed.

Subsequently, a second vote was held, where DIKO voted for the Bill, claiming that it was satisfied by the government's amendments to the Bill. Therefore, the Bill for privatisations was approved with 30 in favour (20 from the governing DISY party, 8 from DIKO party, 1 MP from the right-wing EVROKO and 1 from an independent MP), whilst 26 voted against (19 from AKEL, 5 from EDEK, 1 Green MP and 1 MP from the "Citizens Coalition").

The approval of the Bill does not represent the end of the struggle because several stages will follow for its implementation in practice. The class-based trade union movement of PEO was and will continue to be in the front line of the struggle. The whole of the Peoples Movement of the Left, headed by AKEL, is devoted to the struggle which will continue!

Delegation of AKEL in Turkey

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elegation of AKEL headed by the General Secretary of the CC AKEL visited Turkey between the 19th and 21th of January after the invitation received by the Turkish Communist Party (TKP), where they had a series of contacts. The delegation was also attended by Costas Christodoulides member of the CC and Head of the Bureau of International and European Affairs of the CC AKEL and

by Marina Savva, Office Director of A. Kyprianou. In addition to meetings held in Turkey, A. Kyprianou attended as speaker on the Cyprus Issue at a conference of GPOT Center of Istanbul Kultur University while he also met with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

in Turkey. The TKP noted that the economic situation in Turkey (termed "economic miracle" of neoliberal circles and the Erdogan government itself) is based on a bubble as it was the economy of Greece a few years ago. Additionally, the TKP underlined the necessity for the masses in Turkey to promote the struggle for their own alternative instead of a choice between the reactionaries former allies of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen. The TKP reiterated that it struggles for socialism and sent the message that it fights for: the immediate resignation of the government of Erdogan and President Gul, clearing the state from religious reactionary battalions, trial of those involved in corruption, re-trial of all civil proceedings against Erdogan, prosecution of those responsible for the deadly crackdown last summer, the democratization of justice, removal of the electoral threshold of 10% and trial of those who were involved in war crimes in the intervention in Syria.

The Turkish communists call for a just solution of the Cyprus problem The member of the CC the TKP, Kemal Okuyan, who met in Istanbul with the delegation of the party, reiterated the support of the Turkish communists in the anti-occupation struggle of all Cypriots. After an exchange of views on the Cyprus problem, they came to the conclusion that it is urgent to solve the problem in a just manner, but they noted that the developments are negative. The TKP suggested that the political situation in Turkey has become more intense and the Cyprus problem has deteriorated dramatically in the public debate in the country. We remind that the TKP has diachronically favoured a settlement of the Cyprus problem away from the imperialist interventions that have created it in the first place. The TKP demands the termination of the Turkish military occupation and colonization, while it stresses that the solution of the Cyprus problem should release the island from all foreign military bases. The TKP supports - through its Decisions - the policies of AKEL on a solution based on principles. At the same time, the TKP supports solidarity between peoples and workers of Cyprus, Turkey and Greece for their release from imperialist interventions.

At the meeting with K. Okuyan, after analysing the developments in the region, it was affirmed that the only way is the common struggle against the cries of war of the powerful of the earth trying to reshape the Middle East in a way that serves the interests of the "new world order". The two parties reaffirmed their position of resistance against foreign interventions and the policy of “divide and rule”, tools used to spread bloodshed in a number of countries in the region. The TKP also indicated that the neo - Ottoman policy of the Erdogan government created and is facing several difficulties, focusing on the intervention in Syria.

The meeting also dealt with the economic and political developments

The GS of the CC of AKEL, Andros Kyprianou with the member of the C.C. of TKP, Kemal Okuyan, during AKEL’s visit in Turkey on January 2014.

Meeting of AKEL with ODP The delegation of AKEL also met with the co-chairman of the "Party of Freedom and Solidarity” (ODP), Bilge Sequin. They discussed the situation in Turkey, especially in the social sphere. Bilge Sequin suggested that the movement during the events of the park Geza summer of 2013 was greatly reinforced by young people of 18-34 years since, according to surveys, young people exceeded 60% of the protesters. The co-chair of the ODP deemed that the role and undemocratic way by which Erdogan used to crush the protesters was not enough to crash the movement, while it subsided only when the movement itself deemed it necessary. At the same time, ODP suggests that Erdogan may be facing great opposition from the outside, but he is actually the dominant figure in AKP. We remind that the ODP program supports a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation where Greek and Turkish Cypriots will co-exist peacefully.

Andros Kyprianou as keynote speaker at the University of Instanbul Kultur: Federation the only solution to the Cyprus problem Finally, the General Secretary of the CC of AKEL was the key speaker at an event on the Cyprus problem held at the Istanbul Culture University, entitled "Recent developments in the Cyprus problem. Which are the prospects?". Andros Kyprianou stressed that only a federation may be accepted as the solution to the Cyprus problem, rejecting the

division of Cyprus into two states. He also emphasized that the status quo cannot continue for much longer because it will lead to a solution of two states, adding that this is why AKEL seeks the initiation of the talks soon. "In the past, T/C and G/C lived peacefully. Why can’t they again?" asked A. Kyprianou.

At the same time, the General Secretary of the CC of AKEL pointed to the intransigent and delaying tactics of the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in the talks, as opposed to the convergences reached on specific issues during the negotiations with the previous T/C leader, Mehmet Ali Talat. Additionally, Andros Kyprianou reiterated that the support for Turkey's european accession course, is dependent upon Turkey fulfilling all its obligations, clarifying however that the opening of chapters 23 and 24 that Ankara is now asking, the reasons why they were blocked still hold.

Finally, the Secretary of the CC of AKEL said that "the natural resources of island, including the hydrocarbons, are the common heritage of all Cypriots and therefore within the framework of a solution, our Turkish Cypriot compatriots must be assured that they will enjoy those benefits of this invaluable good."

AKELFrench Communist Party meeting in Paris

The

General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL Andros Kyprianou today had a meeting in Paris with the General Secretary of the French Communist Party (FCP) and President of the European Left Party Pierre Laurent.

During the discussion the General Secretary of AKEL briefed his interlocutor on the latest developments which led to the resumption of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem. Furthermore, he explained the importance this effort has for the Cypriot people to be based on the correct principles and arrive at a positive result. He called on the GS of the FCP to support the efforts of the Greek Cypriot side and to contribute so that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side cooperate on the basis of the agreed framework.

The General Secretary of AKEL also briefed his interlocutor about the developments on the Cyprus economy after last year's decisions taken by the Eurogroup and President Anastasiades. Criticising the policies of the European Union he noted that despite the congratulations which the Troika is giving to the Anastasiades government for its im-

plementation of the Memorandum the reality is completely different.

He stressed that unemployment is growing constantly, wages and pensions are being forcibly curbed, the imposition of privatisations and other policies against the people and their interests is being attempted, whilst people's inability of paying off their loans will possibly lead to the confiscation of their properties.

Pierre Laurent expressed his support of the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem, underlining that at every national and international level FCP will support the positions of the Greek Cypriot side.

With regards the economy, Pierre Laurent expressed his agreement with the criticism being exercised against the policies of the European Union, stressing that FCP is exerting pressure on President Hollande to differentiate himself from Merkel's policies.

Finally, the leaders of the two Parties exchanged views on the European elections, stressing the importance the strengthening of the Left has for the peoples of Europe in this election campaign.

>> AKEL and GUE/NGL Seminar in Brussels

Against the war and interventions in the Middle East

A

KEL along with the group of the Left (GUE / NGL) in the European Parliament held on the 16th October in the European Parliament in Brussels, a seminar - discussion called "Against the war and the intervention in the Middle East."

The speakers at the event were representatives from AKEL, the Communist Party of Turkey, the Communist Party of Israel, the Palestinian People's Party, the Egyptian Communist Party, the Tudeh Party of Iran and a written contribution was sent by the Lebanese Communist Party.

Insurmountable difficulties, due to the situation in the country, prevented the representative of the Syrian Communist Party from travelling to Brussels.

The developments in Syria and the deterrence of a direct military intervention due to the Russian intervention, the role of Turkey, the risks for Lebanon, the situation in Egypt after the overthrow of Morsi, the struggle of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation, the nuclear arsenal of Israel and the manoeuvres of the Iranian theocratic regime in the negotiations over its nuclear programme were the main issues touched upon by the speakers.

At the same time, representatives from parties in the GUE / NGL, such as as the Communist Party of Greece, the Portuguese Communist Party, the French Communist Party, the Communist Party of Bohemia

and Moravia, the Workers' Party of Belgium, the United Left of Spain, Die Linke of Germany and the representative of the Polisario Front of Western Sahara contributed with their interBrochure published by ventions in the deAKEL and GUE/NG L with the seminar’s pro bate that followed. ceedings Aside from noting the role of the EU and the governments of its Member State in the imperialist plans against the peoples of the Middle East, the role of the peace movements was highlighted by many parties.

The seminar comes on top to a number of initiatives taken up by AKEL – capitalising on its presence in GUE/NGL- on the Middle East in order to provide a platform to the communist and left parties of the region so that their anti-imperialist internationalist stance is heard.

Haifa Conference - Middle East free from WMD Giorgos Koukoumas, member of the International Relations Department of AKEL represented AKEL at the International Conference "For a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction" held on 5-6th December 2013 in Haifa and contributed in the session under the title "The role of Europe in the face of Nuclearization of the Middle East and the Need for its Demilitarization."

Central Africal Republic

EU’s new military intervention

At

the same time when the peoples in Europe are suffering from the policies of austerity and impoverishment imposed on them, the ruling class in the European Union is preparing to launch yet another military operation in the Central African Republic. As AKEL has repeatedly pointed out, the competition and rivalries between the powerful centres of the world for the control of the energy sources, pipelines and markets - in the conditions of a crisis - are evolving into dangerous war and military adventures.

the peoples of the European continent.

In addition, AKEL points out that the recent EU decisions to increase the investments in the arms industry and in military research constitute a threat to international peace and security. Furthermore, the announcement that seven European countries have agreed cooperation to develop a program to manufacture unmanned military aircraft proves that the EU is determined to follow the U.S. on the path of using killer drones which are spreading death indiscriminately. Technology In this case, the Central African Republic was a French colony for years and science are serving wars instead of being tools in the service of which was not allowed to develop its inpeace, development and social prosperdependence. The "divide and rule" policy ity. They are serving the interests of moWill Cyprus participate was implemented and the colonialists ennopoly companies and conglomerates, in the military intervention forced their rule. Today, the excuse given and especially those of the military and in the Central African Republic? for the intervention is the humanitarian arms industry. crisis. Once again, the role of the United As it is known the EU Foreign Affairs Council Nations is being substituted. We wonder The Government and the relevant Minunanimously decided on 20th January 2014 to give whether this is the role that the EU promister must explain to the Cypriot people its political consent for the waging of a military inised to its peoples. why they consent to these decisions. tervention in the Central African Republic in the name of "restoring order" and "humanitarian assisThe Cypriot people and all the peoples of Moreover, in view of the upcoming Eutance." the EU should be aware that since 2002, ropean elections in May, the people of the EU has intervened militarily / politically more than twenty times in three continents. Every European must ask himself/herself what geopolitical and economic interests are hidden behind this policy, if all these actions have made the EU a "global factor of peace" as it was being advertised and promoted and if these policies have served the interests of

AKEL through its MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament Georgios Loucaides tabled a question addressed towards the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus calling on him to reply whether the governments intention is to participate in any way in the EU's military intervention in the Central African Republic.

Cyprus and all the peoples of the EU will again face the dilemma: Do we want "more" of this kind of EU? Of NATO, militarization and the merchants of war?

Or do we want the Europe of peace and of the peoples?

AKEL C.C. Press Office 15th January 2014

AKEL concerns regarding the developments in Venezuela We have witnessed during the last days a new attempt for undermining the legally elected government of Nikolas Maduro in Venezuela. Several far-right opposition tendencies, with violent acts tried to create a new situation of instability in the country.

All these happen with the support to the opposition by the USA which find increasingly new imaginative methods for overthrowing governments. It is a matter of fact that the Bolivarian Revolution remains an enemy of the imperialist interests, while insists in the state management of the country’s oil reserves and stands against the prevailing of the local and foreign monopolies.

Additionally, several elements prove fraudulent misrepresentation

of the last developments in Venezuela by local media which follow the opposition’s propaganda. More specifically, it is appeared that several pictures revealed by those media do not correspond to the actual facts of the last days in Venezuela but they are related with other points in time.

AKEL condemns the fraudulent and fascist attempts for overthrowing the legally elected government of Venezuela. Also it condemns the involvement of third parties in the internal affairs of another country. Once more expresses its support towards the Bolivarian Revolution as long as it remains in favor of the radical popular reforms, against the monopolies and in favor of the just distribution of the national wealth.

Meeting of the G.S. of the C.C. AKEL with the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Venezuela On the 21st of February 2014 the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL Andros Kyprianou had a meeting with the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Cyprus, Jeanpierre Anaya Salas regarding the developments in the country.

It is obvious now that the different groups leading the demonstrations are supported financially by the American interests and aim at the overthrow of the legally elected government of Venezuela.

The efforts to destabitalize the country with provocations and sabotage aim at hitching the country at the imperialist interests abol-

ishing the will and the choices of the sovereign people of Venezuela.

AKEL condemns the foreign interventions in Venezuela and stands in solidarity with the people of Venezuela, fully supporting its right to decide itself the model of governance and the socioeconomic system of the country.

15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties Costas Christodoulides, Head of the International and European Affairs Bureau of the C.C. and member of the C.C. represented AKEL at the 15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties which was held on November 8-10, 2013, in Lisbon, with the theme: “The deepening crisis of capitalism, the role of the working class and the Communists 'tasks in the struggle for workers' and peoples' rights.

Imperialism's offensive, the realigment of forces on the international level, the national question, class emancipation and the struggle for socialism”.

13th Congress of the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB) Vera Polycarpou, member of the Central Committee of AKEL, member of the International Relations and European Affairs Bureau represented at the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Brazil, which was held 13-14th November 2013, in São Paulo Brasil.

Vera Polycarpou attended also the Internation Meeting organised by PcdoB on the “Trends of the international situation: the crisis of capitalism; the world in transition; the imperialist offensive and the resistance of the peoples and nations; the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean; the internationalism and the struggle for socialism today.”

Meeting of the Working Group of the IMCWP in Lebanon Elias Demetriou, member of the International Relations Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL represented AKEL at the meeting of the Working Group of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties held in Beirut on the 22nd of February 2014 and which was hosted by the Lebanese Communist Party, and attended by 20 delegates representing 15 countries from various continents. The WG of the IMCWP agreed on holding the 16th meeting for communist and workers parties in November 2014 in Ecuador.

19th Congress of the Communist Party of Spain Nikos Ioannou, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL represented AKEL at the 19th Coagress of the Communist Party of Spain, held on 15-17 November 2013 in Madrid.

GUE/NGL seminar in Spain A 4-member delegation of AKEL attended the initiative of the Group of Left in the European Parliament (GUE/NGL) which was held on the 23th of November in Madrid under the title “The crisis in EU: Resistance and struggles in the countries under memorandum”.

Christos Tombazos, member of the CC of AKEL and Organisation Secretary of the trade union of PEO, Toula Antoniou member of the District Committee of Nicosia-Keryneia, Charis Polycarpou member of the Economic Department of the C.C. and Elias Demetriou member of the International Relations Department of the C.C. participated in the delegation and also attended the mass demonstration held on 24th of November in Madrid.

Meeting of Left Parties in Netherlands Giorgos Loucaides, member of the PB of the CC of AKEL represented the Party at the conference of modern left parties from eleven European countries which was held by the Socialist Party of Netherlands, on 18-19 January 2014 in Amersfoort.

7th Congress of JVP of Sri Lanka Yiannakis Skordis, member of the Central Committee of AKEL represented AKEL on the 7th Congress of the People’s Liberation Front ( JVP) of Sri Lanka, held on 2th of February, in Colombo.

Message to the Portuguese Communist Party on the occasion of the birth Centenary of PCP’s historical leader Alvaro Cunhal Dear comrades, The Central Committee of AKEL, the members of our Party and the cadres of AKEL that have met Alvaro Cunhal convey the warm greetings to your Party and join you in the commemoration on the birth Centenary of the historical leader of your Party, comrade Alvaro Cunhal. The commemoration events that you organize are a flashback for us to the great sacrifices of Alvaro Cunhal but also the sacrifices of the communists during the 20th century fighting for people’s emancipation and the socialist society; against fascism and dictatorships; defending the workers’ rights. Alvaro Cunhal has been a great symbol among those communists. He had remained a brave fighter for all his life until the end despite the great obstacles on his path. He chose to remain constant to his ideas although he had to pass for several years in the prisons of the fascist regime in Portugal. During the years of his imprisonment, he expressed his vision for democracy and socialism as an artist and as a theorist. He left behind a significant theoretical legacy that has inspired and orientated the struggle of the Portuguese Communist Party and the Portuguese people towards social progress. He has become a symbol of resistance against fascism and defense for democracy during the years of the dictatorship and as a leader of the Portuguese Communist Party he has been in the forefront of the opposition against the dictatorial regime. He had an effective contribution to the preparation of the April’s Revolution in 1974 and the overthrow of the fascist regime. Afterwards, during the years of the political transition in Portugal, he worked in the direction of defending the workers’ rights and became a significant personality of the international communist movement. He contributed to the struggles for international solidarity with

Message to the Communist Party of Chile Comrade Guillermo Teillier, President of the Communist Party of Chile I would like to extend the sincere congratulations of the Central Committee of AKEL to your Party for the results of last Sunday’s elections in Chile.

The increase of the representation of your Party in the Chilean Parliament with the election of 6 Deputies, including the President of your Party, is undoubtedly a great achievement. Furthermore, the successful results for the electoral coalition “Nueva Mayoria” and the presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet are very positive developments. We are certain that these results indicate the support

the peoples of the world against imperialism and war.

He has been a significant friend of AKEL, Cyprus and the Cypriot people towards their struggle against the Turkish occupation and the goal for the reunification of the island. His ideals are timely, especially in the current terms of the great attack of the capitalist monopolies and their political representatives against the working people in Portugal and the world. The crisis of capitalism is used as a pretext for the attack against workers’ rights that have been gained with sacrifices. The streets of Portugal, full of demonstrators by the organized working class in Portugal and the world, pave the way forward. The workers in Portugal and the world shall get inspired and orientated by the legacy of Alvaro Cunhal and other significant comrades of the communist movement.

With this occasion, we would like to reaffirm the excellent relations between our two Parties as these have been established through the years. Once more, we express our determination for continuation and further enhancement of these relations.

Comradely Regards, The Central Committee of AKEL 18/11/2013

of the people of Chile to your struggles for social progress, democracy, workers’ rights and reform of the political system that still carries on the heritage of the dictatorship’s era. With this occasion, I would like to reiterate our will for further enhancement of the historical relations of our two Parties.

Comradely regards, Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL

Message to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the anniversary of 95 years since the founding of KKE The Central Committee of AKEL sends comradely greetings to the Communist Party of Greece, to its members and friends on the occasion of completing 95 years of life and struggles. We are well aware that in all these years, the Communist Party of Greece has gone through tremendous adversities and tempests, but has never given up the right and the historic mission of the working class of Greece. We are confident that the KKE - equipped with its new program and the decisions of the 19th Congress - will continue to be at the forefront of the struggles of the working class and of the entire Greek people.

AKEL on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party pays homage to all the Greek communists who were martyred in exile, in prison, on the death squads and in the battlefields but remained adamant to the ideals of socialism. The glorious history of the KKE, the sacrifices and the struggles of the communists of Greece were and still are an inspiration to the communists of Cyprus. Moreover, one of the most honourable pages in the history of AKEL is the participation of tens AKEL members in the legendary saga of EAM ELAS - EPON and of the DSE, on the side of the KKE.

the strengthening of our cooperation so that we contribute further in the reorganisation of the world communist - labour movement.

Being in the throes of the capitalist crisis, our people are experiencing the onslaught of capital and of the EU against their social gains and labour rights. Now that our parties are fighting to organize the popular response more coordination and joint action is required. We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship both in the international and regional meetings of the Communist and Workers' Parties and within the international anti-imperialist organizations (World Federation of Trade Unions, World Peace Council, World Federation of Democratic Youth, Women's International Democratic Federation) but also within our Group in the European Parliament.

On behalf of the CC AKEL, we thank the KKE for its consistent principled position in support of the struggle of our people for justice, liberation and reunification of Cyprus. Long live the 95 years of the heroic Communist Party of Greece. Long live socialism.

Between AKEL and the KKE there are ideological and class-based ties that began in the early 20th century. We want to continue forging these bonds through a comradely exchange of views and experience, through

The Central Committee of AKEL 12/06/13

Message to the 26th Congress of the Japanese Communist Party

the people to your Party in electoral battles and your Party’s structure.

The Central Committee of AKEL is extending its wishes to the Japanese Communist Party for a successful and fruitful 26th Congress. Your Congress is held while the humanity is witnessing during the last years one more crisis of the capitalist system that is transferring its heavy consequences to the working people and the popular strata. Furthermore, capitalism is extending its goals due to the needs of the capital for having access in new markets.

The main consequences are the imperialist aggression, the enslavement of states in a vicious circle of external debt, the destruction of the environment and the demolition of the welfare state and workers’ conquests around the world. The imperialist aggression is getting extended even in countries with non-aggressive external policies such in Japan where the NATO aims to include it in its plans for controlling the Pacific Ocean, a fact that carries new dangers for the peoples of the region.

The Japanese Communist Party has expressed during the last years the opposition of the Japanese people against the neoliberal policies of your government, the continuation of the functioning of nuclear reactors and the constitutional reforms regarding the defense policy of Japan. These positions led to the enhancement of the support given by

As AKEL we continue our struggle for ending the 39 years-old Turkish occupation and partition of our country. The international solidarity of the foreign parties has always been valuable to our struggle for achieving reunification through a bizonal-bicommunal federation with political equality and a single sovereignty, single citizenship and single international personality. We would like to express our solidarity towards your struggle in Japan for peaceful conditions in the northeast Asia and the world, a safe environment and social progress.

As AKEL we believe that despite the far distance between our countries, our two Parties may be looking forward towards the continuation and further enhancement of our bilateral relations based in our common ideology and goals. Once more we wish fruitful deliberations of your Congress.

With solidarity, The Central Committee of AKEL 13/01/14

AKEL on developments in Ukraine

The

blood of the Ukrainian people continues to be shed incessantly and the country is experiencing a deep civil division. Regardless of our long-standing position on the need for further democratic changes in the country, what is currently developing in the Ukraine is in fact an attempted coup d'état instigated and abetted by the West against the lawfully elected government of the country in order to remove the country from Russian influence and integrate it into the EU-Atlantic block.

The protagonists of the extremist anti-government activity also include neo-Nazi organizations, but also ultra-right-wing parties such as the anti-Semitic "Svoboda", the leader of which the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland - according to her conversations that were leaked - has assigned a role for and a say in the new regime they are planning. That is to say, the USA is willing to join forces even with the ultra-right forces of Ukraine to promote their plans, which also involve the IMF's

arrival in the country...

The EU is also acting along similar lines, intervening directly in the internal affairs of Ukraine, siding with the opposition and announcing the imposition of sanctions against the Ukrainian government. AKEL urges the Cypriot government to dissociate itself from this logic that adds fuel to the fire.

The bloodshed and foreign intervention must end. The people of Ukraine are the only ones who have the right without interferences to decide what the future of their country will be and what political and economic relations Ukraine will have with its neighbours, none of whom befits idealizations.

AKEL C.C. Press Office 20th February 2014

AKEL

considers that the new state of affairs in Ukraine harbours enormous dangers for the Ukrainian people and the neighbouring region. The putschist move to seize the government by the opposition, although an agreement had been previously been agreed to hold snap elections, illustrates the anti-democratic stand of the leaders of the right-wing opposition. Various circles of the same order are exploiting the severe long-standing problems that existed and developed in the country, the corruption, the breach of promises by the government in order to establish a new situation which will primarily and above all be to the benefit of another section of the oligarchy. This path has resulted in the dead, the terror but also the threat of partition of the state and the country.

AKEL condemns the coup d'état, as well as the foreign interventions, that led to the escalation of the social and political conflict. It's not inconceivable that those who planted the seeds will reap the results of storms, through the pursuit to expand their sphere of influence and imperialist interests against the Ukrainian people.

armed with its ideas or with weapons, has already led the country into deadend paths. The same scenario was played out in the war in Afghanistan when imperialist circles armed the forces of the Taliban.

AKEL supports the holding of democratic and transparent democratic processes that will be the choice of the Ukrainian people, with regards the orientation of both its foreign policy and economic policy.

The rivalries developing have as their goal the raw materials, rich resources and the pipeline routes, their control by the international monopolies that are planning their profits over the next fifty years. They are seeking a new geopolitical strategy for integrating Ukraine through force into NATO and the European Union.

AKEL denounces the murderous attacks by the Neo-Nazis against the Communist Party of Ukraine and the burning of the Party's offices in Kiev. AKEL supports the struggle of the Communist Party of Ukraine and the people of the country for democracy and real justice.

An urgent combatting of neo-fascism is demanded, which whether

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 25th February 2014