[Individual-members-EL] EL-Newsletter Nr.2

Tue Apr 8 15:59:07 CEST 2008

NO to U.S. Military Bases in Poland!

A big manifestation against locating American military bases in Poland took
place in Warsaw on Saturday, March 15th. Leftwing activists, Greens and
anti-militarists marched from The Presidential Palace to the Polish
Parliament and then the U.S. embassy.

Together they called the Polish president and prime minister to withdraw
there support for the USA governments' plans for building an other American
military installation on European soil.

Grzegorz Ilkowski (The Initiative Against War) said the American imperial
policy is now the mayor threat to peace and that groups from all around
Europe and the world most mobilize to face this threat.

Young Socialists (member-observer status in the Party of the European Left),
who are presently leading a country-wide anti-militarism campaign, were also
present in Warsaw on the 15.03.08 . Adrian Zandberg, in his speech,
expressed his belief that the fact that most Polish politicians support the
concept of locating American military bases in Poland, against the will of
most of their own citizens, will strengthen the anti-militarism movement and
actions like these most continue in the future. Katarzyna Matuszewska,
reminded that the European Left condemns the process of further arms race in
Europe and will attempt to block the acceptance from UE countries for this
process. Join
<http://www.european-left.org/fileadmin/downloads/invitation_p.pdf> the
manifestation in Gdansk / Słupsk!

EL campaign: The Government's Treaty must be put to Referenda in the EU!

"Our fourth commitment for action is with the peoples of the Union: we
reject the Lisbon Treaty and we are in favour of referenda allowing for the
popular debate about the future of the European project." (extract from the
Prague Appeal)

The European leaders have imposed the Lisbon Treaty on the people,
presenting it as a "mini-treaty" and a technical disposition to allow the EU
to function. The refusal of a democratic debate, the lack of information and
the banalisation of this issue is their way.

In countries where polls have been conducted on this issue, in Portugal, in
France, in Netherlands, in Great-Britain, in Denmark, in Sweden, in Greece,
in Germany a clear majority is in favour of a referendum. The French and
Dutch No at the constitutional treaty opened a new era for Europe which is
the one of the people's eruption in the debate on the Union's future; the
comprehension that the decision-taking at this level concerns directly the
people, in all their aspects of their life, and that they should be able to
be heard.

The adoption of the Lisbon Treaty through the exclusion of the people from
the decision, will not close the debate neither will resolve the political
crisis of the Union: it will increase the democratic and social deficit
which are at the basis of this legitimacy crisis.

The European Left will increase the level of its campaign for the
organisation of referenda in all countries and will continue its struggle
for the refoundation of the EU.

Berlin Executive Board Meeting, 11-13 January

The first meeting of the newly-elected
<http://www.european-left.org/english/about_the_el/the_executive_board/>
Executive Board took place in Berlin, early this month. The EL ExB and
aditional delegation from member and observer parties participated in the
yearly commemoration of Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht in Berlin. EL
chairpersons Lothar Bisky and Graziella Mascia laid down a wreath in
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/brow
se/1/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/to-remember-the-revolutionary-and-anti-fas
cist-roots-of-the-el/> front of the memorial together with other presidents
of member parties. The meeting of the ExB had an analytical discussion
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/brow
se/1/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/for-a-european-minimum-wage-guaranteed-by-
law/>  on the european minimum wage and adopted a comprehensive working
schedule for 2008.

To keep international law as basis for any solution for the future status of
Kosovo

The news arriving, every time more intensively, concerning Kosovarian
government's intentions to declare unilaterally its independence next 17 of
February are really alarming. Moreover there are some concerns on the
intention expressed by many EU's Member States to proceed with its
recognition - obviously following the intention of the Bush-administration
and trying to create another precedence of breaking the rules of the
international law and the regime of United Nations - achieved and developed
after WW II. MORE
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/zuru
eck/latest-news-home/artikel/to-keep-international-law-as-basis-for-any-solu
tion-for-the-future-status-of-kosovo/> 

3rd Meeting of the Network "Trade Unionists of the European Left, February
1st to 3rd in Vienna, Austria"

Thanks to the initiative of the working group "Betrieb und Gewerkschaft"
(Enterprise and trade union) of "The Left - PDS", which has invited to a
first meeting in 2005 in Berlin, the network of trade unionists of the ELP
has been founded. Our network is one of several within the EL that aim at
linking together different specific fields of political activities.Different
projects on EU - level, like the directions of services, the green book of
labour, the directive of working hours or the deregulation and privatisation
of public services have already lead to the expression of common views of
our network, within the European Left Party and beyond.In continuation of
the meetings in Berlin 2006 and Athens 2007 the preparatory committee that
consists of representatives of DIE LINKE (Germany), CPA (Austria) and EUiA
(Catalonia) called for the next meeting to take place in Vienna from
February 1st to 3rd 2008. Ath this meetings the following issues were
discussed: 

1. Minimum Social Standards in Europe

2. International Co-operation of Europe and Latin America 

Furthermore the development of the structure of the network was discussed.
The meeting adopted the following documents:

-The resolution "Enforce
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/zuru
eck/latest-news-home/artikel/enforce-minimum-social-standards-in-europe-1/>
minimum social standards in Europe!" 

-Support
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/zuru
eck/latest-news-home/artikel/support-the-national-strike-of-the-estonian-loc
omotive-drivers-trade-union/> the national strike of the Estonian Locomotive
Drivers Trade Union 

-Support
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/zuru
eck/latest-news-home/artikel/support-of-greek-dock-workers-struggle-and-stri
kes-against-the-privatisation-process-by-the-present/> of Greek Dock-workers
struggle and strikes against the privatisation process by the present Greek
government 

The Left is winning! Dimitris Christofias: New President of the Republic of
Cyprus

With a percentage of 53,37% in the second round of the presidential
elections, Dimitris Christofias, general secretary of AKEL has been elected
as the new President of the Republic of Cyprus.

We would like to send our warm congratulations messages to a victory that
gives hope to the Left forces in Europe.

Find here
<http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/news/news_archive/news_archive/zuru
eck/latest-news-home/artikel/congratulations-dimitris-christofias-president-
of-the-republic-of-cyprus/>  the message of Lothar Bisky, EL Chairman, to
Dimitris Christofias

Alexis Tsipras: New Party President of SYNASPISMOS

 <http://www.syn.gr/en/cv/tsipras.htm> Alexis Tsipras, 33-year-old former
youth leader, was elected new President of SYNASPISMOS by its 5th Congress
to succeed  <http://www.syn.gr/en/cv/alavanos.htm> Alecos Alavanos, who did
not wish to stand for re-election and retained only his post as head of
SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) and its parliamentary group.

The 5th Congress of SYNASPISMOS was held 7-10 February 2008 in Athens with
the participation of 1200 delegates, who voted overwhelmingly for Tsipras
(70,45%). The other candidate, Fotis Kouvelis, a leading left figure for
many years and Parliamentary spokesperson of SYRIZA, got 28,67%.

The Congress also elected a 125-member Central Political Committee, renewed
by 40%. Percentage of women: 32,67% that means 40 women out of 125.

The political documents focusing on an alternative left political project
were also approved with overwhelming majorities.

EL events in April

 <http://www.european-left.org/fileadmin/downloads/flyer_a5__verso_v2.pdf>
"Culture, money, Censorship", 11-13.04.08 Luxembourg 

EL Executive board meeting in Brussels 19-20.04.08 

Delegation to the Middle East 23-28.04.08

Participation
<http://www.european-left.org/fileadmin/downloads/invitation_p.pdf> in the
Demonstration in in GDANSK /
<http://www.european-left.org/fileadmin/downloads/invitation_p.pdf> Słupsk
on 30.03.08!
<http://www.european-left.org/fileadmin/downloads/invitation_p.pdf> 

Impressum
Helmut Scholz
European Left
30 Rue Parnasse
1050 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)2 502 26 06
Fax: +32 (0)2 502 01 73
E-Mail: info at european-left.org <mailto: info at european-left.org>  

Newsletter administration If you don't want to receive this newsletter
anymore, just send an Email <mailto: info at european-left.org>  

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