In view of the NATO military exercises being held in Portugal, Spain and Italy, the PCP alerts to the significance and timing of holding what is one of the greatest exercises in the history of this political-military bloc, inseparable from its strategy of growing militarisation of international relations, of expansion into Eastern Europe and of projecting an even greater interventionism in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East.
The PCP condemns and reiterates its position against Portugal’s participation in these NATO exercises, especially since they constitute yet another factor in the escalation of tension and confrontation that marks the international situation.
At a time when the situation in various regions of the world - particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe – prescribes measures of détente and a dialogue to respect the sovereignty of the peoples, the international law and the UN Charter, the NATO exercises point towards growing bellicism and strengthening of this organisation as a political-military bloc of an aggressive nature, responsible for some of the greatest crimes and conflicts that occurred in various parts of the world, a result of which are the millions of refugees.
In a situation where the workers, the peoples and countries of Europe are facing serious difficulties resulting from capitalism’s crisis and the attack on wages, pensions and other income and rights, the NATO exercises, first of all because of its size and costs, constitute an indictment against the true priorities of the European Union and of NATO countries, who insist on an increase in military spending.
Reiterating its stand to uphold the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, in particular with regard to Article 7 which calls for the defence of "general disarmament, simultaneous and controlled, the dissolution of political-military blocs and the establishment of a system of collective security, so as to create an international order capable of safeguarding peace and justice in the relations among peoples" and highlighting the importance of the struggle for peace and peoples' rights and against militarism and war, the PCP calls for the participation in actions that dozens of Portuguese organizations promote for peace and against the NATO exercises.
