The head of the Central Committee of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoubas, in his speech, today, at the gathering and cutting of the pie of the Committee on Security Forces and Armed Forces, he said that “the new year began with the fire of war burning in many parts of the world. In Ukraine, the war has been raging for two years now. The use of the American bases located on our territory and especially of Alexandroupolis, the sending of military armament continues.”

He added, among other things, that “the price continues to be paid by the peoples of Ukraine, Russia and – in a different way – all the peoples of Europe”.

Mr. Koutsoubas noted that “the government of SWwith the substantial consent of all other parties, excl KKE, supported from the first moment and supports the state of Israel in the slaughter of the Palestinian people, however much it seems to be adjusting its tactics, taking into account both the popular reactions and the moves of the US and the EU. That is why these matters for the reactions not to die down, but to continue and intensify, for solidarity with the people of Palestine to strengthen even more. Let the center of Athens be submerged next Saturday, at the big rally in Freedom Park”.

He spoke of the “more than visible danger of a general ignition” in the region and added: “With the responsibility of the ND and with the other parties to hide words by agreeing to the essence, they are sending a frigate, a helicopter, a UK team and crews, sailors, non-commissioned officers and officers of various specialties in a dangerous war operation. A business which, in terms of risk, has nothing to do with all the others to date. It is well known that we have never agreed as a party to overseas missions. We have said it and we will repeat it from this stage as well: That the government of ND cancel its decision to send Greek forces to the “mouth of the wolf”, a decision which, without hiding it, concerns the service of Greek naval interests, but also of his designs NATO and the USA.

The frigates that the Greek people have paid for in gold are supposed to be for the defense of the country, and the government sends them thousands of miles away – it takes more or less a week’s journey to return if necessary – for jobs completely foreign to the Greek people.”

The head of the KE of the KKE emphasized that: “the “thing has now been done”. We say it clearly. It is not allowed to risk any military or soldier for the sake of the shipowners, international or Greek capital, Saudi Arabia, Israel, for the sake of the US, NATO and the EU, in their confrontation with other imperialists anywhere on earth. We demand the return of all military units and staffs that are outside the borders.”

He pointed out that there is no room for complacency in Greek-Turkish relations and underlined that “the KKE, without mincing its words, has warned that dangerous Greek-Turkish arrangements are being promoted under a NATO umbrella, in the context of the so-called “road map” agreed upon by Mitsotakis – Erdogan at the NATO Summit in July”.

“With the decisions of his recent meeting Supreme Council of Cooperation in Athens and the Joint Declaration, the path towards compromise is accelerated, with the aim of strengthening the south-eastern wing of NATO and joint exploitation in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. The entire package of Turkish claims has been put on the negotiating table and, regardless of the government’s claims, an all-out bargain is being held and the risks of concessions to the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights are increasing, with the islands and Thrace at the forefront . The vigilance of all of us must be strengthened against all imperialist plans, but also for the Greek-Turkish ones, because the bag of Aeolos is being opened”, he argued.

Mr. Koutsoubas spoke about the accuracy, saying characteristically: “The trips to the supermarkets of the ministers are good, but no one says that ¼ of the price in the supermarket and over 65% of the price of gasoline are unfair, indirect taxes that we all pay, taxes launched by SYRIZA and kept by the ND to ensure the bloody surpluses. Like, also, that the fines on the supermarket chains are a drop in the ocean of their turnover.”

“A solution to certain consequences of precision can only be given by the struggle of the workers, with the radical framework of the KKE, now demanding, among other things, the abolition of VAT and special taxes, conflict with the “green” policy of the EU that launches the energy prices, substantial increases in wages, etc.,” he added.

Among other things, he noted that “money for NATO expenses exists, but not even for the health of the military and their families. Our young people, again, who are serving their term, in many cases face unacceptable behavior and living conditions in the camps. The families of soldiers are burdened with huge expenses. Retirees are not fooled by nominal increases, nor do they forget the stolen years.”

“The KKE proved to be a supporter and supporter in all of the above for another year,” he emphasized.

“The children of the people have every right, with their heads held high, to continue to claim their rights and the disengagement of the country and the Armed Forces from NATO, the EU, from agreements with the killer states, USA, Israel, etc. a. To close all foreign bases in the country, to return all military personnel from military missions and operations outside the borders” pointed out the head of the Central Committee of the KKE to complete: “Every popular patriot in the Armed Forces should join hands with the people. Every honest person in the Security Forces should refuse to hit the people because neither he nor his family benefits from this role.”

Mr. Koutsoubas underlined that this situation can be overturned “with struggle and assertion, the active and retired military through militant unions, together with the rest of the people, the mass collective bodies and unions, so that the current of questioning grows of the dominant policy and the parties that serve it, to strengthen the cooperation with the KKE”.

“And the success of the general strike, which the labor unions are preparing for February 28, is of great importance, for all these pressing problems, but also with the special symbolism that this particular day has, on the one year anniversary of the crime in Tempe, which cost the lives of 57 innocent souls, mostly young people.

With these thoughts, I would like on behalf of the Central Committee to wish you a happy new year, with health and strength for all the battles ahead of us at all levels. And in the races and in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament, which will take place on Sunday, June 9, 2024. For KKE much higher, much stronger”, concluded, in his speech, the head of the KE of the party.