Translated "Avante" article by Ângelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee and of the International Department

Thodoros, a jobless 35 year old Greek, told a Portuguese journalist, when celebrating the “NO” victory, in Syntagma Square: “ Tell the Portuguese, our struggle is also for them”. This statement’s internationalist and solidary nature is notable and illustrates well the political experience magnitude, currently lived in Greece. The words dignity and pride were repeated during the “NO” victory night. The insight was outstanding, the determination and the serenity with which the people of Greece responded to the political and economic blackmail, an impudent and terrorist campaign launched against it.

Beyond the political analysis on Greece and the European Union situation, beyond the different opinions on the opportunity and need of the Greek referendum, much beyond the reflexion on the role, direction and behaviour of that country’s government – not forgetting the contradictions, surrenders and hesitations – the very important fact of the popular answer that has been given in association with what the January 25th elections represented – is, independently of ulterior developments, an important advance, concerning the struggle in the defeat of fear and conformism theories. The referendum’s outcome is above all a rare demonstration of political conscience. That fact, associated to popular and democratic reactions throughout Europe, is a precious contribution in order to deny by practice, the lie, built for decades, that Europe signifies European Union and that the latter is synonymous of “solidarity and cohesion”. These values exist, but among peoples and not amid the Brussels cabinets, as it has been proved.

If there is something to retain, concerning Greece, is the class collision that has been always present in the capitalist integration process and is currently much more clear and present in the peoples collective conscience and, in particular, of the peoples in the so-called European Union “periphery”. Currently, it is more evident, that on one side there are the capital, great banks, financial capital, “European institutions” – together with their corresponding “nationals” and the political forces at their service – on the other, are the millions of workers, the people which produce wealth every single day and hold but one weapon with which they have achieved – rights, democracy, sovereignty and … its strength conscience whilst the motor of social change.

Independently of the reasons and objectives which made the Greek government call upon the referendum, it was not a negotiable article, nor a “ triumph Ace”, but otherwise, a powerful demonstration of something very deep that obliges to be , inevitably, to be looked at into the core of the social change process. It is obvious that the referendum in Greece took place within a more specific context, and it is also obvious the aim of the government which called upon the referendum was to achieve a much stronger and secure position before the powers and the so-called institutions directorate intransigence. But social reality is much richer. And much more richer and powerful than a “simple” “negotiable” process among an European Union, totally feudalized to the great capital interests, plunged amid the mud of its contradictions, distilling hatred, contempt, and arrogance for the most elementary peoples rights, and a government, confronting the people’s suffering, insists in fighting a battle in a battle field which boarders are defined by the ” enemy” of the people it represents.

No! The people of Greece declared a very “simple” and clear opinion. It wants to hold on to its own collective future. It knows its country belongs to its people, and not to banks’ leaders “liquidity”, or to ranking agencies. It demonstrated that reality is something very touchable, measured, not in millions of Euro, but in dignity, life and hope.
And that conscience has been achieved in one way: through the many years struggle processes that developed in an impetuous manner, amid the country. And that people’s strength, together with others, will determinate the course of the developments, as in Portugal. In the hope that the Greek government ought to understand that very important message…