We support AKEL for Resistance, Dignity and Perspective

Excerpts from a speech of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, on the European elections

Friday 9th May 2014, Pallouriotisa suburb, Nicosia

“…This local club of the Peoples Movement of the Left always took an active part in the battles waged by the Left and AKEL.

On such battle is the forthcoming election battle of the European elections to be held in 15 days. There is not one Left or progressive Cypriot who does not understand how difficult and yet how critical this campaign is; a difficult and critical battle for AKEL, for Cyprus too. We have to fight against the mudslinging and slander; against the fierce campaign launched against AKEL; against the blackmail exerted by the government and the controlled mass media, as well as combating and fighting against all these attacks as the members of AKEL know how to struggle. In any case, AKEL was hardened, steeled and matured in difficulties and harsh conditions. In truth, how many times in our country’s history has the crushing of AKEL been announced and how many times have we refuted and defied them?

We will therefore struggle with unparalleled vigour because Cyprus and its people are at a critical and historic crossroads that will literally determine the future of the future generations. The dilemma before the Cypriot people is clear:
. The dilemma is simple. If the governing DISY party manages to obtain the percentages that it aspires to, then it will continue to march forward with its policies which are devastating for workers and the young generation. It will continue implementing its strategy for binding Cyprus behind its back to the American and NATO war machine, even though in doing so it would harm Cyprus’ cause and we would destroy the economic- relations between Cyprus and Russia and other friendly countries. So, who can stand up to and resist the governing DISY party and Anastasiades government? Is it those who although they were aware of what would follow, elected him in 2013, either by voting or refusing to join their forces with the Left?

Only if AKEL and the Left remains strong will a bastion of resistance continue to exist; a bastion that will enable our people to go on the counterattack. Abstention is not a solution. It is self-evident both politically and mathematically that whoever abstains from the elections, whether he/she wants it or not, is in fact voting for the DISY party indirectly. Whoever votes for DISY, either way, means that retroactively the bankers and the “golden boys”, who gambled with the Cyprus economy, would be pardoning them in retrospect. It would mean pardoning the decisions Merkel and other leaders of the European Right imposed on Cyprus; imposing something unprecedented that had never before been implemented in any other country in the world. It would mean forgiving the robbery of the Cypriot people’s bank deposits, as well as exonerating the mockery of a whole people with the notorious “pledge” made by Nikos Anastasiades. It means the approval of the Memorandum, the privatization of the profitable Semi-state organisations Cyprus Electricity Authority EAC, the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority CYTA and the Cyprus Ports Authority, the reduction of salaries and pensions, further cuts in benefits, the selling-off of the primary family residence and the new liberalised shopping hours requested by big business and capital in order to destroy all the small and middle business that continue to withstand the competition. Supporting the Democratic Rally party – either by a vote or by means of abstention – means supporting the mess prevailing in internal governance, characterised by the actions of the Minister of Justice in the field of public order, security, justice, sports and the inaction with regards neo-fascist organizations.

There is even the concrete question posed by the European elections to all the peoples of the countries of the European Union: Are you happy with the Europe the ruling ci9rcles, the European People’s Party, the Liberals and the Social Democrats have made for you, without you and in your name? The number of poor in the EU is as twice the population of the whole of France! When will we put a stop to these policies? Are we satisfied with the current EU which today is opening together with the U.S. the tombstone for fascism which is spreading death and blood in Ukraine and pushing for a confrontation with Russia to raise its ugly head again, threatening Europe even with the outbreak of a military conflict? All of these actions and developments are not by chance. They are the result of policy options; the result of EU Treaties, policies and EU Directives that were approved in the European Parliament by the Democratic Rally DISY party, and the other Cypriot parties. Only AKEL and Group of the United European Left/Nordic Green Left opposed them all. They proposed positions for another course, for Europe and its peoples; a course and path that will lead to a Europe of social solidarity, democracy and peace. The Group of the Left is the Group which consistently supports the position of Cyprus on the Cyprus problem when the other forces – large and small – restrict themselves to formalities and even embraces Turkey. This Group, the Group of the genuine and proven in practice friends of Cyprus, we need to strengthen in the next European Parliament and not the “friends” of Mr. Anastasiades that sometimes are stabbing us in the back.

These are the critical questions that will be answered in 15 days, at the ballot box. Anyone who demands a prudent and consistent policy on the Cyprus problem that will be dictated by principles and not by the Archbishop, who demands an end to a government that takes from the poor and gives to the rich, who asserts another Europe rather than the Europe of Merkel, anyone who demands dignity for Cyprus and its people, has a choice: it is the candidate list of the Left, AKEL-Left-New Forces. It is the option of Resistance, Dignity and Perspective. In these remaining 15 days, the members and friends of AKEL, the figures from the spectrum of the Left, centre-left and the New Forces must work to refute and defy the polls, as we did, many other times in the past as well.”