AKEL (Cyprus) Statement

AKEL expresses its deep concern regarding the developments in Hungary where the governmental majority in the Parliament voted in favor of modifications in the penal code which identify the “crimes of communism” with the crimes of the German fascists and the Holocaust of the Jews. In particular, according to the recent changes in the criminal law, whoever attempts to doubt the “crimes of communism” in public, could possibly face imprisonment from 1 to 3 years. We shall remind that the law that bans the use of the communist symbols is issued in Hungary since years ago.

We consider the attempt of equalizing the Holocaust of the Jews with the supposed crimes of communism as evocable and condemnable since it was the Red Army and the Soviet Union that gave an end to the worst crimes of the history of humanity, as the Holocaust of the Jews, and played a catalytic role in the Antifascist Victory of the Peoples.

Unfortunately this development consists a continuation of the wider effort of equalizing communism with fascism, the counterfeiting of history and the disappearance of whatever reminds the socialist period. These actions are constantly increased, especially in the countries of the Eastern Europe as well within the European Union and the Council of Europe.

These actions, from whoever are arising, consist a blow for democracy and the freedom of expression. They also appoint the declarations for democracy and acceptance of the different opinion, words without meaning.

Furthermore, we consider that this action consists an effort of disorientating the public opinion from the huge deadlocks that capitalism and neoliberalism have created, as these are expressed through the ongoing global capitalist crisis.