Communists in Greece and Turkey rise up against NATO

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) hold protests against NATO plans and NATO’s military presence in the Balkans.

ICP, 10 March 2018

As the Turkish government hypocritically carries out an anti-Western discourse pretending to stand against imperialist policies, the communists revealed the historical collaboration of the ruling class with imperialism reminding the truth that the communists are the only real enemies of imperialism. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and TKG from the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) have been holding protests against the NATO plans and NATO’s military presence in the Balkans calling the people of the region to an active defense in the face of war threat and destruction. 

We edited the ongoing activities of two brother parties of the region against NATO.

On February 12, the youth organization of TKP, namely Communist Youth of Turkey made a statement against the NATO presence in the region and the hypocrisy of governing party AKP on the issue of imperialism. The statement was released on the 50th anniversary of historical event when the Turkish university students in Istanbul had driven the US Navy soldiers into the sea. In the statement, young communists asserted: “those who are unable to confront imperialism cannot triumph over imperialism. They just sermonize, but we drive into the sea.”

On February 27, KKE organized a large demonstration in Athens and marched towards US Embassy. General Secretary of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas denounced SYRIZA-ANEL government, which “is holding the banner of the USA and NATO” through which it strives to promote the geostrategic interests of Greek capitalists. He also highlighted the destabilizing role of NATO both in the Aegean and Balkans.

On March 1, communist students of Ankara University organized an action in the Faculty of Political Sciences in order to call other students to join the efforts against the sinister plans of NATO. The action was realized in spite of the attempts by the police to prevent it.

On March 3, Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) organized a large protest in İstanbul against the NATO, USA, and their local collaborators. The protest was welcomed warmly by the citizens watching the event.

In the statement the young communists red during the protest, it was reminded that Turkey had been NATO member since 1952, which had gross consequences upon the people of Turkey. “As in many European countries, the capitalist resorted to the NATO, or in other words the patronage of the US as the greatest power of the imperialist world, against the threat of communism rising working class movement” the statement claimed.

Young communists also stated that the bilateral agreement between NATO and Turkey should be undone and the NATO base in Incirlik should be held back immediately.

On March 6, KKE organized another anti-imperialist rally in Thessaloniki where thousands of people attended in spite of the rain. The communists declared their decision to escalate the struggle against the imperialist plans and dangers that bringing for the peoples of the country and the wider region.

Koutsoumbas as the major speaker of the event underlined the “interest” of the USA-NATO-EU in Northern Greece, centered on Thessaloniki, is related to the implementation of their imperialist plans in the region in their competition with Russia and China.

General Secretary of KKE called on the people to join forces with KKE, which is the only party that can lead the gathering of the labor movement in the struggle against anti-imperialist war, the intervention of the NATO and the EU.

After the rally the group marched towards US consulate and declared their resistance with the slogan “no fear, no submission, together with the KKE for the overthrow.”

On March 9, TKG organized an anti-imperialist rally in Middle East Technical University, one of the most prominent universities of the country. In the statement that the young communists shared during the rally it was highlighted that the country was a part of the terrorist organization called NATO for 66 years; the NATO membership brought a heavy burden to the Turkish people. TKG called their friends to a sincere struggle against imperialism in the 50th anniversary of the driving of American soldiers into the sea in Dolmabahçe, İstanbul and in the 49th anniversary of chasing the American ambassador Komer away from the Middle East Technical University.

Both parties declare to keep their activism against NATO and all the imperialist elements in the region.