European Communist Initiative: Statement on the 1st of May, the International Workers’ Day

This year, we highlight the 1st of May to show the character of the imperialist war that has befallen the Ukrainian people, which comes from the struggle of the Russian bourgeoisie to assert its interests in the struggle against its competitors, the USA-NATO-the EU, which have driven their tentacles far into both Europe and Asia. In this struggle, there is but one victim – the workers and the people. That is why we strengthen the struggle for the disentanglement of our countries from the slaughterhouse of war into which the bourgeois classes and the governments serving them are dragging the peoples.

The crisis in Ukraine, as well as previously the one in Kazakhstan, has its roots in the counterrevolution of the early 90s; it has its roots in the overthrow of socialism. This great tragedy, which resurrected capitalism in a large part of the world, smashed the system that had allowed for the peaceful coexistence of these nations, which had formed the foundation for the eradication of exploitation and nationalism.

With our own eyes, we now see what capitalism, which gives rise to fascism and nationalism can do, what horrors it is capable of. Our solidarity is always with the people, the exploited and those struggling.

This year, we highlight the 1st of May in a situation where the position of the workers in every country is rapidly deteriorating. The prices for energy, fuel, food and other essentials are skyrocketing, in the end creating an impossible situation for working people.This is the EU and governments’ strategy regarding the so-called green transition which led to soaring prices even before the war under the pretext of “environmental protection”, serving the interests of business groups. The harsh anti-labour measures, the dismantling of Collective Labour Agreements, the expansion of flexibility and teleworking also serve the same interests.

We highlight the 1st of May to show the only way forward; to show the complete bankruptcy if the capitalist-imperialist system, which forces upon the people of the world poverty instead of prosperity, war instead of peace.

We do not choose between those robbing the people of the world; we do not choose between different forms of exploitation. We choose our own future and we will fight for it. We, communists, are at the forefront of the struggle to raise the degree of unionization, to regroup the labour movement in the struggle for its contemporary rights. We are inspired by the strikers of Chicago who paved the way for the working class to assert everything that belongs to it and is stolen by a handful of capitalists.

We honour and commemorate this year’s 1st of May, we do it with a conviction stronger than ever, that socialism remains the only possible future for humanity. We assert that there is but one possible choice before the people of the world: Socialism or barbarism.