Peoples Struggle in Greece

Interview with Gen. Sec. of Greek Communist Party, KKE

“The molotov cocktails (fire-bombs) and looting of the hooded
individuals, whose steering center is linked with the state secret
services and centers abroad, have absolutely no relationship with the
mass rage of the pupils, the students, the people in general,”
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga stressed in an
exclusive interview with ANA-MPA, adding that the recent events were
exploited in order to turn attention away from and disorient the mass
moblisations of the youth and the people against authoritarianism and
the anti-popular policy.

Papariga reiterated her harsh criticism of the Coalition of the Radical
Left (SYRIZA), stressing that the KKE has fundamental differences with
that party in strategy, ideology and policy.
On the prospect of early general elections, the KKE leader stressed
that it would barely ripple the water if the unhappiness with the
ruling New Democracy turned into a vote for main opposition, PASOK,
To a question on whether the KKE would vote for the
establishment of a parliamentary preliminary investigation committee on
the Vatopedi Monastery-State land transactions affair, Papariga
explained that if presumptive evidence of criminal responsibility
arose, her party would back the establishment of such a committee.

Replying to questions, Papariga said that the state suppression and the
hooded troublemakers «are on the same side.» They are connected,
mutually fuel each other and their target is to terrorise the working
people and the youth, to confront the organised labor and popular
movement, Papariga said.

She attributed the killing of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos in
the Exarhia district of Athens by a police bullet on Saturday night to
the result of escalating authoritarianism, reinforcement of the
repression mechanisms and their operation, the nexus of reactionary
laws and the «Euro-terror laws» created by the governments of ND and
PASOK. «The molotov cocktails (fire-bombs) and looting of the hooded
individuals, whose steering center is linked with the state secret
services and centers abroad, had nothing to do whatsoever with the mass
rage of the pupils, the students, the people in general. On the
contrary, they were exploited in order to turn attention away from and
disorient the mass moblisations of the youth and the people against
authoritarianism and the anti-popular policy. An effort was made, and
is being made, by the government, and not only to intensify the
repressive measures,» she said.

The KKE found itself opposing them with its political positions and actions.
«We blocked and cancelled certain plans. And we are vigilant,» Papariga
said, adding that the «mass-turnout strike rallies by PAME throughout
Greece and the demonstrations of the pupils, with their mass turnout
and precautions, proved that mass organized action can confront
suppression and terrorism, they proved that 'the spontaneous' can be
converted into 'the conscientious and organized.'»

To another question, Papariga said that the scandals, the repression,
the threats and blackmail faced daily by the working people in their
places of work were various sides of the anti-popular pollicy, and the
result of the «Euro-one-way path» served up by ND and PASOK, of the
strategy that serves capital profit and competitiveness and aggravates
the problems of the working class, the youth, the popular strata.

She said that the people's rage and indignation, which obviously intensified,
prompted by the murder of the 15-year-old, was not
enought to halt the negative trends for the people. Nor, she
continued, could any results arise from some struggles that simply
use pressure tactics.

Papariga said that the measures taken in recent years, and the «much
worse» measures being planned, such as a 70-hour work-week, in the report
on separation of spare time into active and inactive that was voted on favorably
by ND, PASOK and SYN (Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology) in the
European Union, which was a vital need to capital.

The movement, in its current state, cannot face those problems, she
said, adding that a restructuring of the labor movement was necessary,
given that only through organised struggle, a popular alliance against
the government policy and the parties that serve the interests of the monopolies,
could have positive results for the people. This was why
strengthening of the KKE -- which with its strategy and action was
formulating the terms and opening the road for the expression of the
people's counter-attack -- was needed.

To another question, Papariga said that the KKE firmly believed that
the working class of the cities and the countryside has the power to
change things, provided that they acted and fought for their rights in
the workplace itself, and created its own anti-monopoly alliance.

The working people should not be afraid. Those who should be afraid are
capital, the EU and its parties, she said, because the crisis was a
crisis of the capitalism they serve. The working class has for years
been paying the price for increasing the profits of capital, she said,
adding that the working class has no reason now to pay the price of
capital's crisis as well. The people must make use of their experience. The
parties that lied to them about Maastricht, about the Euopean Monetary
Union, are lying to them now too, Papariga said.

Whether it is the bankers who are boosted, as proposed by the
government, or the industrialists, as proposed by PASOK, the outcome
for the people is one and the same. The outdated or administrative
proposals put forward by SYN are not the solution. The young people,
the popular strata, must permanently turn their back on their policies
and dogmas. Only in that way will they be able to confront the
worst that is yet to come, Papariga stressed.