Andrei is a staunch communist, an opponent of the Yeltsin and Putin regimes. In Russia, he spent a total of nine years in prison on political charges. At the same time, like any true leftist, he is an ardent supporter of the popular uprising in Donbass. Andrei writes from jail: "Today was the first court session. It was held in Berdyansk Court (Judge O.G. Pakhomenko), but they did not even bring me there – it was a video conference. From the prison. They want to condemn me remotely! Tomorrow at 10 am is the next ‘session.’ I demanded an interpreter, they postponed the trial until tomorrow when he will arrive. And I will make a motion to receive a paid lawyer and be personally present at the trial. We need to contact the media to make the maximum publicity, as they want to … [read more]

*** Text on a street poster in Odessa: A seperatist is desacrating national symbols waiting for the arrival of “Russian peace” If you hear or see something – call us Hotline of the Ukrainian Intelligence *** This is the tug of war over implementation of the Minsk-2 agreements. Yesterday the leadership of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) demanded that their representatives finally be included in the discussion of constitutional reform. “All matters relating to elections and constitutional reform, according to the terms of the agreement, should be agreed with us. As prescribed by the terms of the agreement, representatives of the DPR and LPR will necessarily participate in the decision-making in the tripartite contact group," DRP envoy Dennis Pushilin told … [read more]

Berlin: nothing short than full-fletched capitulation The German minister of finance, Wolfgang Schäuble, has made it candid-clear: no credit extension without complete surrender to the conditions dictated by the creditors’ financial oligarchy. This despite the fact that everybody knows that Greece will under no conditions be able to serve its debt. The German message therefore serves first of all to make clear to the entire southern periphery as to who is to command and who to obey. This will turn out to be a hubris of the type of Bush’s military “export of democracy” to Iraq. Syriza not to accept complete surrender For the last two months the Greek government has been trying to play cat and mouse. On one hand they signaled their readiness to agree to the troika’s … [read more]

Saudi Arabia is trying to present the operation “Decisive Storm” as a regional coalition to support the “legitimate government” of Yemen against the advancing “pro-Iranian” Houthi militia. In the Western world, instead, the conflict is being inaccurately described as an attempt of a Sunni coalition to prevent Shia from coming into power. The situation in Yemen is much more complex and entering into all its aspects would exceed the scope of this statement. However, we would like to state the following: 1. The conflict in Yemen is not a confessional war yet. It is a power struggle among rivaling groups, which is unluckily taking place against the background of a regional conflict between the West and Saudi Arabia on the one side and Iran on the other. Neither is this a … [read more]

A break with the Euro-German creditor’s oligarchy will most likely run through Syriza. An anti-EU liberation front will become necessary comprising all forces determined to defend the popular classes rallying the majority. They will need massive international solidarity especially from the anti-systemic forces within the Euro core countries. The International Anti-EU Forum scheduled for the end of June in Athens will be the place to forge this European alliance. The Left Platform of Syriza together with all the Greek forces preparing for the Euro exit are preparing this meeting. Following excerpts of an interview with the Greek minister of reconstruction of production, environment & energy whose original has been published on the website of the ministry. It was originally … [read more]

Friday 17.00 – 19.15 workshops 1. From economic to political crisis. The examples of Italy and Spain * Enea Boria, Movement ORA, Italy * Giannis Kibouropoulos, journalist, Greece * Manolo Moreneo, Frente Civico “Somos Mayoria”, Spain, 2. The conflict in Ukraine and the geopolitics of the European Union and NATO * Kostas Gousis, Solidarity campaign with the Antifascist Resistance in Ukraine, Greece * Mariia Muratova, Borotba, Ukraine * Petros Papakonstantinou, writer-journalist, Greece * Dimitris Patelis, MARS (Frontal Left Alignment) , Greece * Rainer Rupp, journalist, Germany 3. The workers' and popular resistance against neoliberal policies in the EU * Giorgio Cremaschi, ex president of FIOM (Federazione Impiegati Operai Metallurgici), Italy * Benoit … [read more]