AKEL on International Workers Day

AKEL Central Committee

1st May 2014, Nicosia

We honour this year too Workers May May, the International Day  of the working people which is steeled with the many years of struggles waged and the blood shed by millions of the people of toil and labour for a better world.

We honour the vanguard workers of Chicago; all the class struggles all over the world and at the same time we salute the pioneering fighters of the workers movement in Cyprus whose struggles have changed for the life in our country for the better.

On the occasion of Workers May Day AKEL sends a warm and militant greeting to the working class of Cyprus and all working people, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins, as well as to all the immigrant workers who live and work in Cyprus.

Working people all over the world are honouring yet another year International Workers Day under the burden of the global financial crisis. The crisis, despite the particular characteristics of each country, is due to and stems from the exploitative system of capitalism itself. Capitalism accumulates the wealth for capital and brings poverty to working people. Neoliberalism, which has been imposed in recent decades through the concerted combined efforts of the conservative and right-wing social democratic forces, is responsible for the depth, breadth and duration of the crisis. Capital is exploiting the crisis and its most horrible expression namely mass unemployment to abolish working people’s gains, attack the workers movement and to dismantle even further the welfare state. The conservative forces are exploiting the crisis to revive racism, reaction and fascism. Working people and the progressive forces, with the communists in the forefront, are fighting against the crisis aware that mankind will free itself and overcome the evils that are inherent in the capitalist system only with its overthrow and the construction of a socialist society.

For the second year, the working people of Cyprus are commemorating Workers Day suffering from the suffocating yoke of the Memorandum of the Troika and the decisions taken by the Eurogroup and President Anastasiades. The crisis is deepening, unemployment has risen to unprecedented levels, thousands of our fellow compatriots are dependent on social and food hand-out services, wages and pensions have fallen sharply, health and education continue to be adversely affected, the welfare state is being completely dismantled, public and semi-state organisations are being driven to be sold-off and SMB’s are closing down one after the other. At the same time, the large companies, with the government’s assistance, are increasing their profits. And while this horrendous situation exists, the government and ruling forces are deluding themselves with the praise they receive from the Troika and the Rating Agencies. With the policy pursued by the government of the Democratic Rally DISY party, the kick-starting of the Cyprus economy will remain a dream.

AKEL, the class-based Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) and other political and social forces are projecting a different path; the path of the exit from the Memorandum; the path of the decisive tackling of the specific effects of the crisis and the Memorandum. But here too we see the reaction of the government and ruling forces who, together with the support of the leadership of the Democratic Party, are blocking in the House of Representatives any attempts for the assumption of practical measures against the effects of the crisis. Working people are increasingly becoming aware that to confront this situation the only option is the path of resistance, assertion and mass organized mass struggle.

In less than a month we will be called to cast our vote in the European elections. The same powerful message of resistance, assertion and struggle must be transmitted from the ballot box. And this message will be sent out if the people vote for AKEL -Left-New Forces for a progressive course in Cyprus, for a different course in Europe to build the Europe of the peoples and not the Europe of the monopolies.

Workers May Day has been connected around the world not only with the class, but also with the political struggles of the peoples. AKEL on the occasion of Workers May Day reaffirms its long-standing principled positions on the Cyprus problem. Our constant unwavering goal remains our liberation from the Turkish occupation and the reunification of our country and people within the framework of a bi-zonal bi-communal federation in line with the United Nations resolutions. AKEL supports the effort to solve the Cyprus problem underway. We do not give a blank check to the President of the Republic to do as he pleases and we are monitoring in a critical way his handling and the contradictions in his policy. We reiterate that if the Christofias – Talat convergences are utilised, then the Turkish side will be cornered and there will be better prospects for a solution.

AKEL once again calls on the international community to turn its attention towards Turkey and exert its influence. Only this will pave the way for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Workers May Day is a day of international solidarity. On the occasion of May Day, AKEL sends a message of support and international solidarity with the peoples and workers around the world who are fighting against imperialism, for independence, peace, democracy, human rights and socialism. This year’s Workers May Day finds humanity still suffering from the imperialist policies in various corners of the world. The focus of critical developments is the Ukraine. The United States and the European Union with their policy of double standards they are following illustrate that their statements and proclamations are merely empty words, given that what dominates their policies is serving their brutal geostrategic and economic interests.

Working people of Cyprus!

This year’s Workers May Day is special for Cyprus. For the first time in 56 years Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot workers will honour in a joint mass meeting Workers Day. AKEL salutes PEO and the Turkish Cypriot trade unions, affiliated members of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), for this initiative. The progressive working people of Cyprus are showing once again the road of common struggle for the salvation of our common homeland.

AKEL calls on all workers to attend in mass numbers tomorrow’s common meeting in order to send out the most powerful messages of determination and struggle that we are struggling together for the reunification of our homeland and for our liberation from the shackles of the reactionary socio – economic policies. For a happy future for our country and our people.