March 5th 2016
The Central Committee of PCP, met on March 4-5th, proceeded to the analysis of the developments of the political and social situation and approved the Resolution on the preparation of the 20th Congress of PCP.
I – Waste not any opportunity to defend, regain and conquer rights. Fight for a patriotic and left-wing policy
1. The Central Committee of PCP, given the recent developments in the European Union (EU), calls attention to the negotiations on the UK’s position in the EU (with a referendum announced for June in that country) and to the recent decisions regarding the refugee drama (with cover given to inhumane, xenophobic and racist practices) that prove an intensification of contradictions, and divergences regarding the multiple impasses confronting the European process of capitalist integration, in a context of intensification of the structural crisis of capitalism.
The Central Committee of PCP expresses its opposition to the decision by the Portuguese Government to collaborate in the NATO mission, in the Aegean Sea, as well as its support and involvement in the creation of the so-called «European Coast Guard».
2. In the context of the new phase of national political life, the process of discussion about the State Budget reflects the possibilities, but also the limits, of the current political solution. A budget that is inseparable from the ongoing development following the defeat of the PSD/CDS [Social Democratic Party/Popular Party] government, that allowed the interruption of aspects of the ongoing offensive and respond to immediate problems of the workers and people. While different for the better, this is not PCP’s Budget. It is a budget with many limitations that results from the options of the PS [Socialist Party] Government. With the discussion now on specifics, PCP will mark its position and will not waste any opportunity to defend, restore and conquer rights and incomes.
3. The Central Committee of PCP underlines that the effective response to the problems of the Country continues to be contradicted by the asphyxiation of the burdens of the public debt, in large part illegitimate, by the constraints and blackmail of the mechanisms of the Euro and European Union, by the succession of banking scandals that consume billions of euros of public recourses or by the dominion of monopolies over the national economy. The struggle for a rupture with the right-wing policy, while inseparable from the consolidation of all the positive measures and advances, and the fight against all the negative aspects, demands the clear affirmation of the central objectives of the patriotic and left-wing policy that PCP proposes.
PCP will fight, whether on the State Budget, or the more general political intervention, for the valuation of worker’s wages and incomes, for the fight against precariousness and unemployment, for the enhancement of public investment and national production, for the effective taxation of profits and the end of the privileges of economic groups, for the valuation and better use of public resources. Political intervention that, pointing towards a path of rupture with the right-wing policy, will have a number of actions and initiatives in defense of public control of the banks that includes the nationalization of the New Bank, already proposed in March, the renegotiation of the public debt, in April, and the study and preparation of the liberation of Portugal from the submission by the Euro and the imposition of the Economic and Monetary Union, in May.
II – Political Action and mass struggle
1. The current situation imposes the intensification of the struggle to defend, restore and conquer rights, to consolidate all the advances and, simultaneously, break with the path of exploitation and impoverishment.
The Central Committee of PCP values the ongoing struggles, highlighting the actions developed by the workers in the Public Administration, in the companies in the State Business Sector, in the textile sector, in hospital cafeterias and laundries, in Petrogal, in SMTUC, in ALSTON/G.E., in Dan Cake, in SERVIRAIL, as well as the struggle of populations in defense of the access to health care, or the right to mobility, namely in the train branch of Lousã.
The Central Committee of PCP underlines the importance of the days of struggle in preparation: the commemoration of March 8th – International Women Day; the initiatives of high school and university student on March 10th and 15th; the struggle of mil producers on March 14th and the demonstration of young workers called by CGTP-IN/Interjovem to be held in Lisbon on March 31th.
2. The Central Committee of PCP salutes CGTP-IN for the success of their 13th Congress that constituted a great affirmation of the strength of workers and an important event in the life of the Country, that reaffirms the notable role of CGTP-IN in the united trade-union movement, inseparable from their nature, principles and objectives, in defense of the interests of the worker’s class.
3. The Central Committee of PCP highlights the importance of the initiatives and interventions of the Party, strengthening of the mass organizations and movements, and the intervention of democrats and patriots in the struggle for the rupture with the right-wing policy.
III – Reinforce the Party, valuing its role and identity, preparing the future
1. The Central Committee of PCP reaffirms the need to intensify the political initiative and intervention with the workers and people, and highlights important actions and lines of work.
And highlights the realization of a national campaign on worker’s rights «More Rights, More Future, No to precariousness», an action with the retired and pensioners on their rights and living conditions that will begin on March 17th and the development of intervention in Parliament, including for example the recent group of legislative initiatives to fight labor precariousness.
Particularly significance is given to the initiatives commemorating the 85th anniversary of «Avante!», the 95th anniversary of PCP, the 40th anniversary of the Portuguese Constitution, the 25th of April and May 1st.
2. The Central Committee of PCP points to the need for: achieving measures of reinforcement of the Party defined within the context of a specific ation «More organization, more intervention, more influence — a stronger PCP»; strengthen the final stage of National Fund Campaign «More space, more Festival. A Future for April» and advance the preparation of the 40th Avante! Festival, on September 2nd, 3rd and 4th (that will integrate the Quinta do Cabo for the first time), highlighting the promotion and sale of the entry tickets.
3. The Central Committee of PCP approved the Resolution towards the preparation of the 20th Congress that defines the methodology, stages and objectives, and that points to a number of central matters for the initial debate regarding essential matters to integrate in the elaboration of the Theses – Project of Political Resolution. The 20th Congress will be held on December 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 2016, in the Municipal Sports Complex – Almada, with the theme «PCP – with the Workers and the People. Democracy and Socialism».
4. In a time marked by numerous dangers but also many potentialities, with the commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the Party and when, by the decisive action of PCP, new perspectives for resolving urgent problems are opened, the Central Committee of PCP highlights that Portuguese communists, proud of their unparalleled history of the Party and the contribution it gives in the present to ensure a better life for the workers and the people, will intervene decidedly in the struggle for a Portugal with a future, for socialism, for communism.
