Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
KKE: No if there is a referendum, No if there isn’t. Yes to overthrow the monopolies
‘The dilemma Euro or drachma is misleading for the people. The interest of the people is the disengagement from the EU with people’s power and economy, which will cancel the whole debt unilaterally and return to the people the wealth that it produces, which the monopolies steal from them with the assistance of PASOK, ND and the bourgeois parties, by means of the socialization of the means of production.
In this very context the KKE calls on the working class and the popular strata to say NO to the referendum; to demand the fall of the government and elections in which they will deliver a strong blow to the rotten bourgeois political system voting for the KKE.
In case that the referendum takes place the people should participate in a militant way and vote NO, which will be a strong NO to the policy of the “EU one way road”, to the memorandum, to the medium-term programme, to the loan contract, a demand for another path of development of the Greek society. The interest of the working people who do not agree with the position on the disengagement from the EU but resist to the barbaric anti-people measures of the EU, the government and the plutocracy, is to share this line of struggle.
The KKE calls on the working people not to submit to the blackmail, to cause a boomerang to the dilemmas of PASOK, the ND and their stooges. The more decisive development of the people’s movement in every workplace and neighbourhood, of a movement that aims at the overthrow the power of the monopolies is imperative.’
(03.11.2011)
Jean Luc Melenchon, candidate of the Left Front, France:
‘Democracy frightens the markets! For the Left Front, democracy is not the problem but the solution.’
On the decision of the Greek referendum: ‘I am worried to see that democracy poses a problem. The head of the Greek government announces that he is going to call a referendum and the markets collapse. Democracy frightens the markets! For the Left Front, democracy is not the problem but the solution.’
On the Merkel/Sarkozy Plan: ‘I am struck by the economic contradiction: a policy of generalised austerity leads to a contraction of economy activity. This leads to a reduction in tax receipts everywhere and the increase in unemployment, thus an increase in deficits in social and public budgets, thus recourse to lending, debt and debt servicing. It’s wasted money.’
(04.11.2011)
Paolo Ferrero, national secretary of Communist Refoundation, Italy
‘We want Italy to hold a referendum on European policies.’
‘Money or democracy. And capitalism is wonderful! This is more or less the German reaction to the Greek government’s decision to hold a referendum on the policy of cuts imposed by Europe. On this basis the Government withdrew the referendum proposals and the morning’s phrase turned into
‘Democracy is a luxury, capitalism is beautiful!” It is increasingly clear that that there is an incompatibility between democracy and neo-liberal policies.
‘The European people find themselves faced with a crossroads: either exit from neoliberal policies and pursue a democratic path or stick with neoliberalism and turn the clock back to before 1945, when there was no democracy in Europe and Germany was in control more than now. We are for democracy and for this we want Italy to hold a referendum on European policies.
‘If the Government doesn’t want to do it let’s work for it ourselves because the people have the right to decide their own future.’
Cayo Lara, Federal Co-ordinator and candidate for prime minister, United Left, Spain
‘In the cradle of democracy capitalism has been shown to be incompatible with democracy.’
‘They steal democracy from us. And castigate Greece by withholding Euros 8 billion if it does a referendum on what path it wants to follow in the future. Something as important as a referendum is castigated by the markets and speculators. In the cradle of democracy, it has been revealed that capitalism is incompatible with democracy.’ (03.11.2011)
Jorge Pires, political committee of the Communist Party of Portugal:
‘The referendum is internal question for sovereign independent Greece’
He said that the referendum is ‘an internal question for Greece’ which is a ‘sovereign and independent state’.
The Communist leader expressed ‘the solidarity of the PCP with all those in Greece who struggle against disastrous policies, particularly the communists of Greece who are in the vanguard of this struggle.’ (02.11.2011)
Marisa Matias, MEP, Left Bloc, Portugal
Greek tragedy message for Portugal about inevitable impact of austerity
‘This is a clear message to the Portuguese Government.
‘It is a message for Portugal, because it proves that the system in Greece is falling apart – and this, we must keep in mind – and because it proves that the policy of failed austerity,” she said pointing to a 30 percent loss in real wages and an ‘unprecedented transfer of value from labor to capital’
‘The Greek tragedy is not just Greek. We anticipate that by following policies of austerity what [what is happening in Greece] will become inevitable in Portugal in the near future.’ (1.11.2011)
European Left
‘Consulting the people is an utmost necessity, but not on the basis of a blackmail’
‘George Papandreou has announced tonight the holding of a referendum in Greece, about the agreement made in Brussels, which provides the abandonment of 50% of the banks’ debt (haircut) in exchange of renewed austerity measures and guarantees on the public funds of the Eurozone’s member countries.
The Party of the European Left (EL) has always been in favour of consulting the Greek as well as the people of Europe in general on main political issues. This is a question of democracy and respect of national sovereignties. It is scandalous that such a simple and legitimate idea is causing distraught to leaders of Europe and financial markets. It proves once again that they reject basic democratic principles.
At the same time, the EL cannot be satisfied of the manner the referendum was presented by George Papandreou. The Greek people would have to choose, according to him, between approving the agreements of Brussels – meaning more social bloodletting – and taking the responsibility over the bankruptcy of the country and the return to a national currency.
This is an inacceptable blackmail and a misleading debate, because the agreements of Brussels are not providing in any case solutions to prevent the bankruptcy of Greece and to find a way out of the crisis.
For the EL, consulting the Greek is an utmost necessity but it has to be used within a clear debate about the solutions to end the crisis, not by blackmailing. This debate would include alternative solutions proposed by the EL and many other social forces.’ (1.11.2011)
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