International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

Mr. Voutsis and the ?Truth Commission on Greek Public Debt

Yorgos Mitralias — 2015-12-05T09:07:11Z

At the very moment when the new President of the Greek Parliament, Mr. Voutsis, has decided to order the dissolution of the Truth Commission on Greek Public Debt, without even bothering to explain the reason for his act, on the other side of ocean, a politician who is running for the US presidency proposes the establishment of an independent truth commission on debt for Puerto Rico (a US protectorate). What's more, he explains to us the importance of such an audit commission.

- IV491 - December 2015 / United States (USA), Greece, Puerto Rico, Debt

The catastrophic consequences of the announced international capitulation of Syriza ... and the criminal responsibility of Mr. Tsipras

Yorgos Mitralias — 2015-08-30T20:09:08Z

As was to be expected, the direction taken by the Tsipras government after the fatal day of July 13 confirmed the pessimistic forecast that it would turn with unheard cynicism and violence – albeit only verbal for the moment - against those who dare challenge its total pro-memorandum transformation. And since the 'Tsipras Tendency' in Syriza has chosen to take charge of a new government that would govern the country with the absolutely decisive collaboration of all the neoliberal parties (New Democracy, PASOK, Potami), its offensive was clearly directed solely at the opponents of its government program, ie the third Momorandum. And naturally, these opponents are not to be found in yesterday's opposition which has now turned into a government partner, but first and foremost in the left wing of Syriza, which is now the main opposition force, seeing as Golden Dawn and the PCG (KKE) are in the words of their leaders, lately in agreement with the Tsipras government that Greece must remain faithful to the Euro!

- Perspectives in Greece / Greece, Debt, Greek discussion

For a European antifascist movement before it is too late...

Yorgos Mitralias — 2013-10-14T17:33:43Z

The launching press conference of the Greek Committee of the European Antifascist Initiative took place last Thursday 10 of October at the conference hall of the Greek Journalists' Union. The panel included the journalist and documentarist Aris Hatzistefanou (Debtocracy, Catastroika), the professor of International Law George Katrougalos, the Secretary of Syriza's Central Committee Dimitris Vitsas, the vice-president of Unicef-Hellas Sofia Tzitzikou, the Secretary of EEK (far-left) Savvas Michail, the MP of Syriza Dimitris Tsoukalas, the activist Yorgos Mitralias and the journalist Moisis Litsis.

Among personalities present in the hall and supporting the European Antifascist Manifesto we noticed many Syriza MPs like Sofia Sakorafa and antifascist resistance national hero Manolis Glezos, the ex-president of the Journalist's Union D. Trimis, Unicef-Hellas president L. Kanellopoulos, the president of the Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE), members of Syriza's leadership, university professors, leading ecologists, the author of the book on Golden Dawn Dimitris Psarras and the president of the Association of Holocaust's Victims Descendents Marios Soussis. Comrade Petros Konstantinou, leader of the antiracist and antifascist movement KERFAA, took also the floor exposing his point of view…

Messages of support had been sent by well-known people from the Greek cultural scene like the old surrealist poet Nanos Valaoritis or the composer Thanos Mikroutsikos. Messages of particular importance were sent by the Guinean victim of Golden Dawn's storm squads Mamadou Ba who escaped recently to Brussels, as well as by the Slovenian Ivica Znidarsic, president of the “International Committee of Deportees and Refugees, Victims of Fascism and Nazism 1920-1945”.

- IV465 - October 2013 / Europe, Far Right

For a mass movement of European solidarity with the Greek people and active resistance to austerity policies

Yorgos Mitralias — 2012-04-01T15:59:27Z

Why does European public opinion find the misfortunes of the Greek people so moving? And why, day by day, does this feeling grow more broad and deep and transform itself into the will to act, to do something to show solidarity with the Greek population? The answer is not difficult to find: if the Greek drama moves and even revolts people, it is because they no longer perceive it as external to their concerns, as an isolated case, as an exception to the rule. In sum, it is because they recognize it for what it always has been since it began, as a test case conceived of and imposed by force by those on top, of using the Greek people as guinea pigs to test the endurance and resistance of the victims of their policies before generalizing these policies throughout Europe!

- IV447 - April 2012 / Greece, European Union, Debt

What priorities, tasks and ambitions for the citizens' audit in Europe?

Yorgos Mitralias — 2012-02-18T11:10:20Z

At a time when the Greek Campaign for the Audit of the Public Debt is being imitated a little all over Europe, a first assessment of its activity is necessary in order to draw useful lessons for everyone. Indeed, since this Greek campaign took its first steps exactly a year ago, and since it was the first to try this hitherto completely new experiment in the planetary North, we should consider its gains and dilemmas, successes and setbacks so as to debate not the debt itself, but rather the political and social dimensions of the combat for the independent audit “from below”.

- IV445 - February 2012 / Europe, Greece, Debt

Government of national unity: towards further confrontation

Yorgos Mitralias — 2011-11-28T18:34:53Z

Why suddenly this concern, this confusion (as the faces become serious). Why do the streets, squares, empty so quickly while everyone returns home in great anxiety? Because the barbarians arrive today and these things dazzle the barbarians.” K. Kavafis, “Waiting for the barbarians”

- IV442 - November 2011 / Greece

The agreement of the 26/27 October 2011 European summit meeting is unacceptable

Éric Toussaint, Griselda Pinero, Pascal Franchet, Yorgos Mitralias — 2011-10-31T15:13:10Z

The agreement made at dawn on the 27th October 2011 brings no solution to the eurozone crisis, neither to the banking crisis, the sovereign debt crisis or the euro crisis. The decisions taken do not solve any of the problems in an acceptable way, they only postpone them. CADTM considers this agreement unacceptable.

- IV441 - October 2011 / Economy, European Union

Massive popular uprising in Greece

Yorgos Mitralias — 2011-06-21T04:03:33Z

Two weeks after it started the Greek movement of â€˜outraged' people has the main squares in all cities overflowing with crowds that shout their anger, and makes the Papandreou government and its local and international supporters tremble. It is now more than just a protest movement or even a massive mobilization against austerity measures. It has turned into a genuine popular uprising that is sweeping over the country. An uprising that makes it know at large its refusal to pay for â€˜their crisis' or â€˜their debt' while vomiting the two big neoliberal parties, if not the whole political world in complete disarray.

- IV437 - June 2011 / Greece

Overcoming division

Yorgos Mitralias — 2001-06-03T00:00:00Z

Profoundly divided, disorientated and marginalised on the political chessboard, the Greek left has been in decline for a good decade or so, that is since its participation in the ephemeral government coalition led by the conservative right (the New Democracy party).

- IV332 - June 2001 / Greece

General strike resurrects workers movement

Yorgos Mitralias — 2001-06-03T00:00:00Z

It was enough for the PASOK government to disclose its central ideas on reform of the pension system for the social and political climate to change radically. It was as if the real menace of seeing the value of pensions halved and the retirement age going from 60 to 65 or even higher, brusquely awakened a long slumbering and fatalistic Greek society.

- IV332 - June 2001 / Greece