Here we stand, the Portuguese Communist Party, holding its XXII Congress, analysing the reality in which it intervenes, reaffirming its confidence in the strength and capacity of the workers and people to face the difficult times ahead, aware that these are times of resistance and struggle, but also times to face reality , with courage, determination and capacity for initiative.
Here we are giving an account of the work done.
Here is this force of April, to take initiative with the workers and the people, valuing and stimulating individual efforts and contributions, integrated into our collective work and action.
Here we are proudly underlining the response given by the Party's collective in recent years, which has ensured not only the functioning of the organization as a whole, but also political intervention, namely in terms of initiative, enlightenment and mobilization of the masses and dynamization of the struggle. A remarkable action developed in the context of a growing ideological offensive and in a context of enormous disproportion of means and resources compared to capital.
We value the immense work done, but we are well aware of our difficulties and shortcomings, of the delays and shortcomings in our organizational work.
We are aware that the strength of the Party and its ability to fulfill its historical role will derive, to a large extent, from its organization and its strengthening, from its ability to overcome difficulties and shortcomings; from the use of the potentialities and real conditions to strengthen each of the organizations, starting from concrete issues, linking the Party to reality, intervening, taking the initiative, recruiting and giving responsibilities, involving others and contributing to the elevation of political and social consciousness, energizing the struggle and affirming the alternative.
Therefore, we are here to look for ways to a stronger and more organized Party, where more comrades take on regular responsibilities and tasks in order to strengthen the capacity for party leadership and structuring, with the creation of new bodies, a better functioning of existings bodies and a greater capacity for political intervention and action.
And if it is true that having 2183 bodies in operation gives us immense prospects for intervention, it is equally true that their role will remain unfulfilled if these bodies do not function regularly, if they do not distribute tasks among their members, or if they do not analyse and act on the problems of the workers and the populations within their sphere of action.
Linking more (or even more) the Party to life is the current aim of our organizations, in a process that will lead us to focus our intervention on responding to concrete problems, the desires and aspirations of the workers and the people, articulated with the struggle for an alternative policy and a fairer society. This is a style of work which, having been the Party's practice throughout its existence, is becoming even more important in the current context.
It is with this awareness of the role of the communists and PCP that, following the National Conference and in view of the current situation and its evolution, the Theses under discussion in our Congress highlight the importance of boosting the Party's action in an integrated way that contributes to fulfilling our role as a Communist Party, with courage, resistance and initiative... whatever the conditions of struggle in the coming years.
An action that guarantees the affirmation of the Party, its communist identity and its project, opposing the injustices, inequalities and war that capitalism promotes, and building a new society free from exploitation, oppression, inequalities, injustices and social scourges; a society in which the development of the productive forces, scientific and technological progress and the deepening of economic, social, political and cultural democracy will ensure freedom, equality, high living conditions, culture, an ecologically balanced environment and respect for the human being.
A Party action that takes the initiative, starting from a permanent and close connection to the masses, knowing the concrete reality of each parish, of each neighborhood, of each company or workplace; able to intervene on this reality, guaranteeing an intervention linked to the problems and aspirations of workers and populations and in the struggle to respond to them.
An action that guarantees a broad political initiative, including at the institutional level, that responds to the most urgent problems and affirms patriotic and left-wing alternative politics. An intervention that denounces right-wing politics, its leaders and those who benefit from it; that is capable of transporting to the institutional level the struggle, aspirations and desires of the workers and the people; but that is also capable of bringing to the workers and the people the distinctive work of the elected communists, where the dissemination of institutional work is also an element of stimulation and dynamization of the struggle for an alternative.
A Party action that contributes objectively to the intensification of the struggle of the workers and populations and to the strengthening of mass organizations and movements.
A Party action capable of intensifying and broadening the work with democrats and patriots, with the values of April and the defense of the Constitution as an element of unity, action and struggle for a rupture with right-wing politics, interrupting the counter-revolutionary process and paving the way to a patriotic and left-wing alternative.
A Party action that takes into account the strengthening of the Party, with the recruitment and integration of more comrades, ensuring that there are more militants responsible for concrete and regular tasks, that we advance in the regular functioning of the organizations, that the organizations are linked to life and intervene politically, that they develop their propaganda work, but also the party organization, the connection to the militants, the collection of dues, the dissemination of "Avante!" and «O Militante».
Comrades,
Whatever circumstances we face, strengthening the party is the first condition for the alternative the country needs.
The workers, our people, our country needs the political courage, consistency, determination and reinforcement of PCP.
And, no matter how difficult and complex the time we live in, PCP will be present, as it has always been.
Let this Congress be another example that this Party is capable of facing the present demands.
Long live the XXII Congress of the PCP!
Long live JCP!
Long live PCP!
