On the 80th anniversary of the foundation of AKEL
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 13th April 2021, Nicosia
Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the Founding Assembly of AKEL in the village of Skarinou. AKEL was founded on 14th April 1941 on the initiative of the illegal Communist Party of Cyprus and in cooperation with progressive figures to respond to the need for the existence of a mass party of the working people of Cyprus that would act openly.
The founding of AKEL arose out of the mass development of the anti-colonial movement and workers’ struggles, taking from the Communist Party of Cyprus the baton of the ideals of democracy, internationalism and socialism. From its establishment, AKEL identified itself as a “Democratic, Antifascist, Anti-Hitler” party. Hundreds of militants and members of AKEL fought in the global battle to defeat the monster of Hitler fascism.
AKEL was at the forefront of the anti-colonial struggle for freedom and self-determination.
It united Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot workers in the struggles for their rights and gains and inspired the great strikes where the working people of Cyprus won achievements.
It confronted colonialism and the murderous campaign of terror launched by Grivas.
It defended Cyprus independence and our island’s unity, and the friendship between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
It mobilized the people against EOKA B fascism and defended the Republic and the Homeland against both the coupists and the invaders.
It emerged at the forefront of the anti-occupation struggle for liberation and reunification.
It became the bridge of rapprochement of the two communities against nationalism and partition.
It forged links with the people at the workplace, in towns and villages, in neighborhoods and refugee settlements, fighting tirelessly for all the small and big demands of the people.
It became established as a comrade and fellow fighter of the people of culture, of the people of the arts and letters.
Throughout these eighty years, AKEL opened and is opening its horizons. Today, both inside and outside Parliament, in the European Parliament, in Local Government, through the broad coalition of AKEL-Left-New Forces it rallies the progressive people of Cyprus around the proposal for an alternative path of economic development that will produce prosperity for all and respect working people and the environment. For the modern needs of workers and young people, public education and health. For profound modernizing radical changes in the state, the institutions and society. For human rights and ecology.
Today, in the battle towards the parliamentary elections of May 30, it is absolutely clear that the country and people need once again a powerful and mass Left, both inside and outside Parliament, to be the bastion of resistance against the final partition which the regressions of the DISY government is bringing us closer to.
To be the force that inside and outside Parliament will stand up to the employers and the arbitrariness of the banks, defending the working people, households and small and medium-size businesses.
To constitute the rallying point and pole for the progressive change in the government of the country that will rid the people from a political faction that has turned the state into a source of plunder and an instrument to serve petty-party and petty-political interests.
In roughly a century of its life and struggle, our Party – first as the Communist Party of Cyprus and subsequently as AKEL – has suffered years of illegality, assassinations, imprisonment, persecution and slander. But each time our Party managed to overcome the attacks and provocations against it. It has managed to emerge stronger when the establishment has announced time and time again the end of our Party. It corrected through self-criticism its mistakes and weaknesses because it was and continues to be tied to the people, to their concerns and aspirations.
Eighty years after the foundation of AKEL, we look back and pay tribute and respect to the vanguard comrades, the anonymous fighters of the Cypriot Left. We look forward and face the future with optimism, with the sole ambition of making AKEL more capable and more effective to serve our people.
