The 13th Congress of the youth organization of the KKE, the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), was held at the headquarters of the KKE on 10–12 February 2023.
The opening of the proceedings took place in a climate of enthusiasm and militant optimism, in the presence of a large number of youth and militants of all ages, as well as prominent figures in the field of art, literature, culture and sports. The opening was also attended by a large delegation of the CC of the KKE, headed by the General Secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, as well as delegations from 28 Communist Youth and Anti-imperialist Organizations, while many others sent messages of greetings.
“We express our full solidarity with the neighbouring peoples of Turkey and Syria, who are suffering the consequences of past week’s devastating earthquake”, said N. Ambatielos, Secretary of the outgoing Central Council of KNE.
“We are guided by the Resolution of the 21st Congress of our Party for a ‘Strong KKE; Mind-Heart-Organizer of the workers’-people’s struggle, for socialism’, as its slogan said, the contemporary revolutionary Programme of the KKE, the conclusions drawn from the study of the Party's History, as comprehensively reflected in the volumes of the History Essay of the history of the KKE, which is a valuable asset for every young communist today. Through our discussion and the Resolution of the 13th Congress, we declare that we will succeed in meeting these expectations. With thousands of young people who will join the class struggles, thanks to the contribution of our Organization and the ranks of KNE as vanguards!”, the outgoing Secretary of KNE noted.
Referring to international developments, he stressed that “The imperialist war between NATO and Russia in Ukraine continues with unpredictable consequences. Mutual threats of nuclear strikes are no longer scenes from Hollywood movies, but everyday life. Peoples who had been living for 70 years as brothers and sisters in the former USSR are shedding their blood for the imperialist plans. At the same time, the confrontation is intensifying among the capitalists over which bourgeois state, imperialist alliance or monopoly group will emerge victorious from this slaughter. All this in a period marked by the rivalry for supremacy in the imperialist system between the US and China. (...) Our people are deeply involved in this bloodbath mainly by the government of the New Democracy, with the agreement of all the bourgeois parties that do not question NATO and Greece's participation in it. The non-stop shipment of military equipment, which among other things weakens the country’s defence, the training of elite forces of Zelenskiy’s reactionary government, the logistical and operational upgrading of US–NATO military bases in the country, are not just another development.”
The outgoing Secretary of KNE referred in detail to the action of KNE in the past years and the steps taken by the organization in the struggle of the working and studying youth, such as the emergence of the lists supported by KNE in universities as first force in the student elections.
Referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections, he noted that “The only worthy vote for the people and the young generation is the vote for the KKE, which expresses the consistency of words and works; which will not lead to disappointment; which the people and the youth will find by their side in every struggle; which exerts pressure for a sigh of relief; which sheds a light and paves the way for the real way out. Precisely because the KKE is not going to participate in any anti-popular government under capitalism, hostile to the great majority of the people and youth. The vote for the KKE is not wasted, because they know that they cannot control it, because it spoils their consensus plans and reveals that there can be a different path. Obviously, the present correlation of forces is negative. This, however, does not mean that the people, the movement, the KKE must submit to this negative correlation, because thus, not only will the goal of the struggle for a truly workers’-people’s way out be constantly postponed and distanced, but the people will also count new losses, more lost years, and will wonder helpless under greater attacks. Therefore, it is of great importance, under these conditions, for the voice that does not submit to the will of the exploiters, the power that does not succumb to the one-way street of exploitation and injustice, to emerge stronger, and its struggle should acquire a new, better starting point, so that the fight for the contemporary needs of the people and youth can continue in a more impetuous way. The cadres and members of the KNE are already throwing themselves into this battle!”.
The work was concluded with the election of the new Central Council and the new Central Audit Committee of the Organization.
