“A very strong KKE, a support for the people, should emerge through Sunday’s polls” requested the general secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoubasat his party’s central pre-election gathering, tonight, on the pavement of the White Tower in Thessaloniki.

“It is up to us, together to make a difference, to express all this concern, anger, indignation, question marks about what can be done, in a clear choice: The KKE ballot” said Mr. Koutsoubas. referring to the problems of the world during the previous period. “However, there is another very positive message: There are thousands of people who now value more the clean position of the KKE for no support, no tolerance for any anti-people government. To those who think this, we say to them, better change sides. There is KKE here.”

” Mr. Koutsoubas emphasized that “especially the new generation, the youth of this place, can make a difference”, as proved by the first place of “Panspudastika” in the student elections. “And yes, the river of rage, of hope, of struggle, must not and cannot turn back. To turn it into an impetuous vote for the KKE. To become a rushing river, a torrent, that will drown the plans of others, the few, the big, to load their own profits back onto the backs of the people, with taxes and salary reductions. Because the KKE is the only one that can honestly look the people in the eye. It is the only thing that the people know will not betray them. It is the only choice that knows that ‘you vote KKE, you stay KKE'”.

The general secretary of the KKE argued that “it has now been proven from the very lips of the ND, SYRIZA, PASOK”, that “the next government is not going to change its anti-popular tracks”.

“It is not only the statements of their executives: From Mrs. Tsapanidou and Bakoyannis, who say that they have no differences on the important points, to Mr. Apostolakis who did not rule out a large coalition. Or the most experienced in cooperation governments, Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Christodoulakis, who talk about the “impressive” convergence of the programs of the three parties and about a “feasible” cooperation between them. It is more than anything else, the anti-popular program to which everyone, without exception, puts their signature,” said Mr. Koutsoubas and continued:

“The program of the next government includes over 350 unpopular prerequisites until 2025 for the EU Recovery Fund, the memorandum of ND, SYRIZA and PASOK. So you know what’s coming. That is why a strong KKE is needed to deal with this situation…. And they have the audacity to ask our people, Mr. Mitsotakis says an opportunity to govern for the first time without national crises and difficulties, and Mr. Tsipras to govern for the first time without a memorandum. And some others have the greatest audacity, to want our people to believe that this huge contradiction will be solved by harmless cleverness of different applications for transactions in technocratic ways, as Mr. Varoufakis suggests, as if the problem is the way to transactions are made and not how much money you have to make them. And the people’s money runs out just before half way through every month. But how can you be in touch with the problems of the people when such a distance separates you from all of them?”

“Well, our people have a great opportunity this year: To shake everything that makes these scoundrels feel stable. Let them get anxiety and cold sweat on the night of the elections, with very high percentages of the KKE. With many young fighters, communist MPs with KKE ballots. The vote of the KKE will not remain in the ballot box, but will be deposited in the matches. Now, this slogan acquires a new content. The people should massively support their party, the KKE”.

The general secretary of the KKE also commented on the proposal for a “progressive” joint government.

“People-friendly management of an inhumane, barbaric system cannot exist. The very history of such governments has proved it. This was proven by the result of the recent SYRIZA government, which from the “lots of progress” cooperated with the far-right ANEL, then brought the third and worst memorandum to the people. And they return to the “scene of the crime” again, because their candidate here in Thessaloniki stated that it is not improbable that Tsipras will cooperate with Velopoulos, as Tsipras cooperated with Kamenos before. This is also proven by the supposedly progressive governments throughout Europe. And then it bothers them that we tell them that their progress is cheesy, it’s “muff”. Now the time has come, the conclusion, that the KKE was right that it did not dirty its hands in an anti-popular government, to turn into a joint march and vote in the KKE”.

Mr. Koutsoubas also pointed out that “it is not enough, neither blind indignation, nor painless choices” for the “so-called small parties”, with “falling stars” and with “faces – caricatures”, which are made and dissolved in a night, after dividing the people’s vote in harmless paths and then spreading them to ND and SYRIZA.

He also stated that “MERA 25 is left with only six MPs, after the rest either became independent or ended up with SYRIZA” and “let Mr. Varoufakis tear his pre-election clothes now that he is not going to cooperate”. He also characterized the Greek Solution as a “reactionary jumble of temporarily disillusioned neo-democrats” and “an anachronistic formation”, noting that Mr. Velopoulos “was fine and had given his vote to the ND-PASOK-LAOS joint government and then supported, as a member of the ND , her administration in 2012-15”.

Finally, he recalled the contribution of the KKE in dealing with the fascists and emphasized that the people must “send them all home” in these elections as well.

Mr. Koutsoubas also underlined that “from the first moment, the KKE exposed the attempt to blackmail the people” with the dilemmas of “stability”, pointing out that this presupposes and requires “steady axing of workers’ and people’s rights” and added: ” After all, this system has a way of gobbling up even the meager raises it gives. That’s why the average salary has been reduced by 25% since 2011. One gives him from one pocket, two he steals from the other, through inflation, precision in consumer goods, tax evasion. But there are no other endurances. That’s enough. It’s no longer possible to bleed the people in every way, so that a handful of drones win,” said Mr. Koutsoubas.

As he pointed out, “on the one hand, there are a handful of people and their representatives, who speak a wooden, unintelligible language about ‘fiscal rules’, about ‘competitiveness’, about ‘eligible or non-eligible expenses’, about ‘fiscal margins’… And on the other hand, there are all of us, who talk about a better life, about stable work, about five days, 7 hours, 35 hours, about modern schools, about free spaces and green spaces for us and our children, about cities that are welcoming to the people, with secured home for every family, without expensive rents, talking about all the things we dream of, that we can conquer, that we deserve and are entitled to”.

Also referring to the Turkish elections, Mr. Koutsoubas assessed that whatever the result in Turkey “does not lead to a change in its strategic direction and policy” and that “the new Presidency after May 28, will continue the course within NATO and will attempt to balance between the US and Russia. It will fulfill its own role in imperialist rivalries.”

Finally, Mr. Koutsoubas addressed the undecideds, who are thinking of voting for KKE but have not yet decided – and invited them to do so. “The vote for the KKE directly strengthens the voice of the people and in the Parliament it will return and become a force in the struggles we will fight” said Mr. Koutsoubas. A vote for the KKE is a vote of trust, disobedience and hope, he added.

“The KKE has the only real, pro-people power-governance proposal. The only proposal that is both realistic and applicable. Because it does not depend, neither on medium-term agreements, nor on EU prerequisites. The KKE program depends only on the power and will of the people. And she is powerful. Alone and all of us. And many of us will win. With a strong, strong KKE” said Mr. Koutsoubas.

In conclusion, the c.g. of the KE of the KKE, called “not to waste not a single hour, not a single popular vote for the KKE. Let’s turn Election Sunday into a red rushing river, from end to end across the country. We are here, we will live better, the generations to come will live better. We will succeed, we will win for the great, the beautiful, the shocking. KKE strong, hope is here.”

The general secretary of the KKE was introduced by the KKE state parliament candidate, Asimina Xyrotiri – Aikaterinari.