The PCP strongly condemns the adoption by the Ukrainian Parliament, last April 9, of a law to condition, and even prevent, the activity of the Communist Party of Ukraine, as well as of other democratic forces – a law that can only deserve the repudiation of all democrats and anti-fascists.
This is a new and very serious step in the anti-communist escalade, which is accompanied by the restoration and promotion of fascism in Ukraine, as witnessed by the decision of the Ukrainian parliament which, while recognizing the members of the so-called Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists – Ukrainian Insurgent Army - collaborators of the Nazi SS during World War II and responsible for countless atrocities committed against the people of the USSR and Poland - awarded social benefits to its veterans.
At a time when, on May 9th, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi-fascism, the outrageous decisions of the Ukrainian Parliament represent an insult to the memory of millions of communists who with other Democrats and anti-fascists - which includes several million Ukrainians - gave their lives to free the world from the Nazi-fascist barbarity, and an attempt to conceal the fundamental role of the Soviet Union in this Victory.
The PCP denounces and rejects the ignoble attempt to equate communism with Nazi-fascism, through which it seeks to whitewash the exploitative, oppressive and brutal nature of Nazi-fascism and conceal the role of the communists in the struggle for freedom, democracy, social and national emancipation, to build a society that is fairer and free from the exploitation of man by man.
The PCP stresses that the decision of the Ukrainian Parliament is part of the political repression and anti-democratic campaign triggered by the February 2014 coup, in Kiev, which was fostered and supported by the US, the EU and NATO.
The PCP recalls that the putschist forces – which integrate organizations that openly claim a Nazi-fascist heritage - are responsible for the violation of rights and freedoms and guaranties and for brutal acts of violence, as exemplified by the slaughter perpetrated on May 2, 2014 in the Odessa House of Trade Unions, and the war waged against the people of the Donbass region.
The PCP condemns the acts of persecution and violence - including physical assaults and murders - against the communists and other democrats and anti-fascist Ukrainians and denounces the unacceptable attempts to criminalize the communist ideology and the outlawing of the Communist Party of Ukraine and other democratic forces in Ukraine.
The PCP considers that the Portuguese Government – of a country which suffered 48 years of fascist dictatorship - cannot but condemn this action by the Ukrainian Parliament.
Warning of the anti-communist and anti-democratic character of the decision of the Ukrainian Parliament - which aims not only the communists but also all the democrats who resist and stand in defense of their rights and against oppression and the neo-fascist threat of the oligarchs and big business in Ukraine - the PCP appeals for solidarity with the Communist Party of Ukraine and the Ukrainian democratic and anti-fascists forces.
