The 18th Pancyprian Congress of EDON, which was held on 2-3-4th January 2016 on the basis of the discussion on the "Theses of the Central Council", the introductory speech of the General Secretary of EDON and the introductory speeches that were submitted, concluded at the following decision:
The International Situation
1. Our Congress is taking place in the conditions of a more general capitalist crisis on an international level, which has resulted in a deep intensification of imperialist antagonisms between the powerful centres of the world, as well as in the class contradictions between capital and labour.
This crisis is a structural crisis of capitalism itself; a crisis which has verified the theoretical analyses of the classics of Marxism and confirmed the Leninist analysis of imperialism. It is a crisis rooted in the basic contradiction of capitalism, which wants production to assume a social character, but the result of production to end up in the hands of a privileged few, the multinational corporations and monopolies, whose sole goal is to ensure greater maximisation of profits.
The brutal illustration of capitalist barbarism is revealed by the fact that just 1% of the world's population own half of the world's wealth (OXFAM Report). Furthermore, 69.8% of the world's population is forced to share 2.9% of global wealth (figures according to the Wealth-X organization) and all this while 17,000 children under 5 years old are dying every day (figures released by UNICEF), while more than one billion people live on less than $ 1.25 a day (World Bank Data).
2. The process to redistribute wealth in favour of big capital is being imposed by all means. In the name of competitiveness vicious measures are being enacted and imposed against the peoples and workers with tragic consequences. Unemployment is rising and has now become a permanent and tough reality for millions of working people, especially young people, who are forced to emigrate. Labour rights are being trampled on, cheap and flexible labour is being institutionalized, miserable wages are being enforced and the right to strike and organized struggle is being criminalized. Education and health are being commercialized and from a right have become a privilege of a select few, whilst class barriers are being erected in all areas of social life.
Organizations - tools in the hands of imperialism, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the international rating agencies are serving the interests of capital, which, together with bourgeois governments are imposing tough measures aiming always at ensuring capitalist development.
It has been demonstrated that economic development in line with the logic of capitalist profitability does not correspond to improving the lives of people and in no way does it serve the real needs of working people. Similarly, it has also been proved that neither the Memoranda, nor social democratic approaches about a return to a "Keynesian model" of development, but also neither the declarations about "green" development, can be a way to address and exit the crisis. What is more, neither can the neo-Nazi and neo-fascist organizations and parties project a way out of the crisis with their demagogy and supposed anti-systemic mask they appear in public.
3. NATO and its various branches, like the NATO "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" remain a key factor in the aggressive strategy of imperialist hegemony. A new kind of war is being inaugurated with the technological development of the war industry by the leading forces of the EU and the US/NATO. The militarisation of space and the danger of nuclear devastation remain unabated.
At the heart of the imperialist rivalries, in the current phase, is the attempt to control energy sources and pipelines, sea routes, as well as markets too. The wider region of the south eastern Mediterranean attracts the greatest interest of the imperialists, given that this is where the biggest energy reserves are concentrated.
The American-engineered plan for the "New Middle East" and the enlargement of NATO in the region is being implemented, spreading death and the uprooting of the peoples. The redrawing of borders is being carried out through with the shedding of the blood of the region's peoples, mostly civilians, women and children and the thousands of migrants and refugees drowning in the Mediterranean Sea.
For the imperialists, "the end justifies the means" and their means are none other than the fundamentalist and backward forces (for example, "Islamic State") which they created, armed and trained, as they themselves have admitted. In doing so, they have unleashed these forces which proceeded to commit gruesome crimes against the local populations. All these actions are not out of line with the policy set out by the plans of NATO and its allies in the region. In fact, the actions of the "Islamic State" serve their interests in the region, since it is a major factor of destabilization and chaos that paves the way for future military interventions.
The cultivation of anti-communism as a means of combating communist, radical and broader progressive forces is also part of the ideological imposition of the imperialist "New Order". The unscientific and unhistorical policy of the equalization of communism with fascism by the theory of the "two extremes", the criminalization and prohibition of Communist Parties, the destruction of historical monuments and offices of Communist Parties and the imprisonment of members of Communist parties are examples of the attempts to silence the communist movement.
EDON rejects the "New World Order" and is struggling against the imperialist machinations. It projects even more strongly the position for the dissolution of NATO and its branches and the defence of International Law. It follows the path of organized struggle and the building of a front of resistance against any kind of reactionary, obscurantist, fascist and fundamentalist force.
4. The assessment of the 17th Congress of EDON that "the EU as an advanced form of capitalist economic and political integration has fully adopted the neo-liberal model of development" is increasingly being confirmed. The imposition of the Lisbon Treaty, the "Europe 2020 Strategy", the establishment of the Single Economic Governance, the creation of the Banking Union and the further institutionalization of the cooperation between the EU and IMF and the ongoing conclusion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (ICRC -TTIP) between the US and EU, confirm the above assessment.
The EU leads the way in the further institutionalization of neoliberalism, at the same time as amid contradictions and alliances, leading EU states are playing an increasingly greater role in enforcing austerity policies. The burden of the crisis is being put on the shoulders of the working people and popular strata through the "Memoranda of Understanding" imposed by the EU together with the IMF on EU member countries, establishing relationships of a neo-colonialist character.
In recent years, the number of Europeans who are living in conditions of severe material deprivation, without enough money to heat their homes or cover unexpected expenses has increased from 7.5 to 50 million (figures of the International Organization OXFAM). The failure of neoliberalism is also reflected in the number of unemployed. In July 2015, 25 million people were unemployed throughout the EU and 17.5 million in the Eurozone countries, while youth unemployment stood at 20.4% in the EU and 22.4% in the Eurozone (Data according to Eurostat).
The participation of the EU, together with NATO and its allies, in the imperialist wars is creating huge flows of immigration, especially from the Middle East and Africa. The hypocritical tears shed by the EU in addressing the plight of migrants and refugees drowning in their thousands in the Mediterranean Sea does not negate the substance of the issue.
EDON believes in the power and the traditional struggles of the peoples of Europe that can and must fight for the Europe of the peoples, of the workers, of solidarity, of social justice and peace, and not the one of the monopolies.
5. In these conditions, the unity on a class and anti-imperialist basis of the international movement has never been so imperative. The working class, headed by the Left, have a duty to organize and be in the frontline of the struggles.
Unfortunately, today the Left is even more heterogeneous and globally is on the defence, a fact that has contributed to the retreat of the Communist Movement, after the dissolution of the community of socialist states. Nevertheless, the communist left can and should, in the current environment, become the vanguard of the forces that do not compromise with injustice, imperialism and the dead-end of capitalism. International solidarity and coordinated action between communist, progressive organizations and the anti-imperialist movement are imperative internationally. The World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) must remain at the forefront of this struggle.
These forces, and especially the communist movement, can and must gain strong popular support through class consistency by strengthening in mass numbers the movement and correctly utilizing the possibilities of forging alliances with political and social movements. We need, together with the workers and the people, to maintain and enhance the perspective of social transformation, at the same time as submitting proposals that meet people's needs and protect working people from the arbitrariness of capital and imperialist aggression.
The struggles of the Left cannot but be linked with the perspective of building a qualitatively more advanced society, a socialist society focused on people and their real needs.
The situation in Cyprus
6. The Cyprus problem is an international problem of invasion, occupation, colonization, foreign intervention and the flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. It was and remains a result of imperialist aggressions. It constitutes a violation of human rights and political freedoms of the Cypriot people as a whole. It is a question of ethnic cleansing imposed through the force of arms. The Cyprus problem is at the same time also a problem concerning the normalisation of the relationships between the two communities.
Our people's struggle for liberation and reunification is being waged in a difficult geopolitical environment characterised by an intensification of imperialist aggression; an environment which leads to the prevalence of the law of the mighty at the expense of International Law, resulting in the interests of the peoples being damaged. The perpetuation of the Cyprus problem is by no means unrelated to today's rivalries in the region for geopolitical and economic control and to ensure access to energy resources.
7. The framework for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as reaffirmed through the Christofias - Talat joint statements of 23rd May and 1st July 2008, provides for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as defined in the United Nations resolutions; for a solution providing for a united single state with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship.
With the election of Nicos Anastasiades to the Presidency in February 2013 and for a long period of two years, the efforts to find a solution were at a standstill. The procedure was encountering the negative stand of the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community at that time Dervis Eroglu, but also the erroneous handling of our side.
The assumption by Mustafa Akinci of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community in April 2015, who is a long-standing supporter of a federal solution, was a positive development, given that it was made possible to resume direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities.
EDON supports the negotiation procedure, without this meaning that we give a free hand to President Anastasiades. The initial insistence of President Anastasiades to resume talks from scratch led to the bringing back of unacceptable position by the Turkish Cypriot side under the leadership of Eroglu, which were previously excluded by the Christofias - Talat convergences. The reintroduction of most of the convergences that were achieved between Christofias and Talat in the period 2008-2010 by President Anastasiades and the discussion surrounding the pending core issues, belatedly of course and after the pressures exerted by AKEL led to further mobility in the negotiations, a development which vindicates the position initially expressed by EDON as well. Of course, the President of the Republic has the right to proceed to take other options, but the responsibility for the outcome of such a move will be his own.
At the same time, the return to the proven multi-dimensional foreign policy pursued by the Christofias government is imperative and not the narrow-minded obsession on the Americans and British, which the current government sought to follow from the beginning of its term.
8. EDON will continue to struggle with all its strength for a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations and based on the UN resolutions and High-Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, which provide for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation; for a solution that will be in line with International Law, the international conventions on human rights and European law; for a solution that will provide for the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops and settlers and the demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus. The ultimate goal remains the full demilitarization of the island, with the dissolution of the British bases, an objective that will be fulfilled through the united anti-imperialist struggle of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots; that will restore the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus without giving the right of intervention to any foreign country and that will restore and safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the right of the refugees to return to their homes and properties.
EDON will oppose any ideas for the imposition of new dependencies on our homeland whether these take the form of guarantees from foreign countries and imperialist organizations, or through Cyprus' membership in organizations such as NATO, the "Partnership for Peace", either through a new memorandum via organizations like the IMF, in the effort of the implementation of an economically sustainable solution of the Cyprus problem etc. EDON consistently supports the political equality of the two communities within the framework of federation, as this has been set out in the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and which mean effective participation in decision-making centres.
EDON disagrees with the recently novel and dangerous positions promoting a "loose federation", "extended negotiations" and "negotiations from scratch." These positions serve foreign interests and lead to the same end result: partition.
9. The correct and proficient handling of the Demetris Christofias government that led to the establishment of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the discovery of hydrocarbons is a positive development that we aspire will operate to the benefit of our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The extraction of hydrocarbons will represent another strong incentive for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to reach soon a just, functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem, so that in conditions of peace, security and prosperity, the two communities will enjoy the benefits of the wealth that nature has given our country. However, until the solution of the Cyprus problem, Anastasiades government should abandon its criminal inactivity and the PR stunts. The comprehensive energy strategy of the previous government must be followed, for the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the interests of the people, that will make Cyprus an energy center of the region.
10. We urge the international community as a whole to exert its influence on Turkey so that it abandons its current unacceptable policies towards Cyprus. There is an urgent need for Turkey to proceed immediately to take concrete and real steps so that we can reach a comprehensive solution as soon as possible. The perpetuation of the status quo is against the prospects for a solution. We denounce the occupation role of Turkey and its oppressive attitude towards the Turkish Cypriot community, as well as its unacceptable aggressive policies that are targeting the progressive sections of the Turkish Cypriot community in particular. We strongly condemn Turkey's continued efforts to alter the demographic character of the island through the influx of settlers from Turkey and the usurpation of land and property in areas not under the control of the Republic of Cyprus since the 1974 invasion in violation of International Law.
11. EDON will remain firm and staunch opponents of nationalism-chauvinism, conservatism, fascism and right-wing ideologies that poison the relations between the two communities. On the domestic front, we will continue the struggle against the forces of fatalism and submission to American interests on the one hand and against the forces of maximalist, nationalist goals and objectives on the other.
EDON addresses to all our young Turkish Cypriot compatriots a warm and fraternal militant greeting of friendship, cooperation, unity and common struggle for a solution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our homeland. EDON is committed to the policy of rapprochement and peaceful coexistence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and is continuing its struggles to develop this policy through the mass involvement of youth. We point out that we will stand as a bastion of resistance against any forces who are seeking to distort and revise Cypriot history.
12. The social - political environment, in which Cypriot youth live and act, is characterized by negative phenomena bound up with the current stage of the development of our country's capitalist system, as this has evolved with the sovereignty of the Cypriot and the foreign monopolistic capital, in the era of the imperialist "New World Order" and the global capitalist crisis. The impact exercised by the EU's neo-liberal policies is also decisive.
Consequently, Cypriot society, despite its peculiarities, is not significantly different from the societies of developed capitalist countries, with all that this entails. Especially with the return of the Right to power in 2013, the management of the economy and the great social problems that have deteriorated as a result of the economic crisis, it has fully aligned itself with the tried reactionary policies that are being implemented at a European level.
Previously the Cyprus economy got into a deep recession, primarily due to the banking sector as a result of the absence of any adequate and effective control by supervisory authorities, but also because of the criminal actions, mistakes and shortcomings of leading executive staff and boards that caused great damage to the Cyprus economy. The crisis worsened dramatically after the Anastasiades - Eurogroup decisions in March 2013 to cover the losses of the banks as a result of the haircut on bank deposits.
13. Today, our country's socio-economic developments are determined by the implementation of the Memorandum, agreed with the Troika by the Anastasiades government. The philosophy of the Memorandum is based on the three devastating principles of "austerity-privatization-cuts", which leads in practice to an even deeper recession excluding growth. The application of the Memorandum's provisions has led to a deeper recession, the closure of thousands of small businesses, a sharp increase in the number of the unemployed especially among young people, increased emigration, cuts in wages, pensions and benefits, the impoverishment of the Cypriot people and the dismantling of the welfare state.
The government's anti-social socio-economic policies will intensify with the promotion of so-called "structural reforms". In practice these "reforms" signal a complete deregulation which does not improve the economy's situation to the benefit of society, but concludes the selling off of public wealth and deregulation of labour relations. The government decisions for the privatization and closure of Semi-governmental organizations, the foreclosure of primary homes, the changes being promoted in education, the sell-out of the health sector to private interests and other decisions are being taken within this framework.
A part of the austerity measures enforced by the Cypriot government violate fundamental human rights as outlined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, namely the right to work and the right to working conditions that respect dignity, ensuring the economic and social protection of families and the respect for the right to social and housing assistance in order to ensure a dignified living.
14. The Left, with EDON at the forefront, must wage continuous struggles to prevent the implementation of other anti-social and anti-labour measures that have devastated other peoples in Europe and which are now destroying our own country. We do not accept the selling-off of state wealth and assets, as well as the surrender of the national sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus at any foreign or/and domestic private interests. On the contrary, we are asserting and fighting for the interests of the youth and working people, not for the interests of accumulated wealth and its representatives.
The deceitful picture about the Cyprus economy's recovery, as portrayed by the Anastasiades government, cannot change the downward spiral of the country's social conditions. As EDON we have no illusions that all of society's problems will be overcome with the termination of the Memorandum. The imposition of anti-social austerity measures and policies will continue with or without the Memorandum, given that they are part of the neoliberal philosophy of the government, the EU, IMF, World Bank and European Central Bank.
The exit from the Memorandum and radical reorientation of priorities is a fundamental prerequisite so that the various measures should be focused on the wealthy.
Consequently, in evaluating correctly and objectively the negative given situation of contemporary social reality it is imperative that EDON's actions to defend young people's rights must continue and be intensified further.
The state of the Youth Movement in Cyprus
15. Taking into consideration the current socio-political context, it is also important to mention the great change of setting, resulted from the election of Nikos Anastasiades and DISY at the administration of the country, which now attack peoples, and particularly young peoples, rights. Thousands of them are forced to migrate, others leave under the grip of unemployment, and the ones having a job are underpaid, with poverty wages.
This social system creates “fake consciousness”, fosters illusions and it often achieves to demobilize young people from collective action, since as a social group, they are the most prone to be influenced. This is why a great number of young people distance themselves from politics, the political parties and collective struggle. Antisocial behaviour of young people, which manifest itself in a violent and socially unacceptable manner, as well as in self-destructive behaviour, such as resorting to addictive substances among others, are also consequences of the above mentioned social surrounding.
Despite this great pressure, Cypriot youth broadly retains characteristics of doubt, spontaneity and the tendency towards novelty. Those are radical and progressive characteristics, on which social change can be grounded.
The participation of young people in massive youth organizations, such as student and pupils organizations is very important. Even more important is their participation in the ranks of our Organization.
16. Twenty-one years after, it is of the utmost importance to institutionally consolidate the freedom of action and expression of students’ organizations within schools. The issue of consolidating students’ rights is directly intertwined with the creation of politicalized humans, who will have critical opinion for the world around them. Apart from the work that has to be done for the school elections, the students’ Organizations are developing other forms of action, all of which contribute in increasing the level of politicization among the pupils. Through those years, the Pancyprian United Srudents’ Organisation (PEOM-the syndicalism movement of EDON in school students) has a contributing role and still leads the efforts for the creation of a truly organized, massive and assertive students’ Movement.
17. Many fundamental changes occurred in the field of higher education. For the last three academic years, and especially since September 2013 and since the disastrous effects of the government’s policies, the total amount of Cypriot students has reduced significantly. During the last three years the student movement focused primarily on Cyprus and secondarily on Greece and England. There are six active Student Unions in Cyprus (University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, Frederic, Higher Hotel Institute Cyprus, University of Nicosia and European University Cyprus) all of which are POFEN (Pancyprian Federation of Students Unions) members. These institutes include approximately 18000 active students, which indicates a reduction of 6000 students during these three years. In Greece the numbers of student entrants is stabilized over the last three years in low levels. In Britain the numbers of Cypriot students has significantly reduced because of the tripling of tuition fees in undergraduate programs in September 2012 which effectively ended the rapid increase of the Cypriot students, which occurred since 2004 due to Cyprus’ membership in the EU and the reduction of the tuition fees.
18. A primary objective of our forces in the Student Movement remains the complete support of the mass establishments of the student movement (Student unions - POFEN). Having as our leading point the benefits of the organized Student Movement of Cyprus and as our only criterion the goal of a healthy, autonomous, united, assertive student movement, the only choice is to strongly support the Pancyprian Federation of Student Unions.
It is also necessary to deepen even more the cooperation between forces supporting POFEN, so as to keep the student movement in assertive course as it has been so far.
19. Young workers are part of the youth movement, which is directly confronted to capitalistic relations of production and the relations it creates. The systems’ hardness and its inability to meet real social needs are strongly reflected on young workers, for whom job and housing security are a priority.
Young workers must cope within this context of creation and reproduction of social problems such as unemployment, wage cuts, reduction of their rights, “flexible” working hours, and difficulties in housing.
We realize a serious weakness in our efforts to include a large part of young employees and young unemployed in the life and the actions of our Organization. Improving our organized political work with young workers and young unemployed, along with the improvement of our organizational operation in order to achieve our objective of obtaining contact with these young people, should remain a main target of our organization. We must continue the fight for collective organization, assertiveness and the configuration of class consciousness by the young workers, always in cooperation with the class oriented trade union movement.
20. Since the establishment of the Youth Board of Cyprus, EDON, as its member, tries to become an assertive battlement, through which the mass youth movement can strength its voice and can participate in decision-making centres. Nevertheless, the Youth Board of Cyprus cannot replace the mass youth movement, nor to operate in competition with it. The Youth Board of Cyprus has been to help and implement integrated and sometimes specific policies on youth issues that will assist in prompt and effective response to the problems that young people face. Policies that will be focuses on youth wellbeing. The Board should provide equal opportunities to young people and youth organizations for participating and contributing to social, economic and cultural development of our country and our people. Policies that would give solutions to creativity and entertainment of Cypriot youth.
21. After the election of the DISY-Anastasiades government in 2013, the course of modernising Preschool and Primary School education system was violently interrupted. Unfortunately, we have returned to the years of stagnation and regression, while the decisions in the sensitive area of Education are taken without any prior social dialogue and are imposed by the government.
For EDON, education is a non-negotiable public and social good, which should be provided for free to all young men and women, be of high quality and provide equal opportunities to access, participation and success at all levels of education. Our vision is the creation of a modern, democratic and human school that will completely cover the needs of its pupils. A school that will provide equal opportunities to all children, regardless of their families’ financial capabilities.
To achieve the abovementioned objectives, we have supported the ambitious planning for an Educational Reform, which sought to address the persistent ideas, anachronism, nationalism and step-backs, bringing at the same time new and progressive change to its core. Indicatively we note the extension of compulsory pre-primary education a year earlier than before, the reduction of pupils per class to 25 in all grades, the expansion of the Educational Priority Zones as well as the strengthening of the Integrative Mandatory All-day school and the expansion of the institution of voluntary all-day school. The Demetris Christofias government during its presence, won a great challenge and achieved the return of pupils to the public kindergartens, which used to be the parents first choice.
For EDON, the events in Primary Education system during the past few years prove the hastiness in which the current government deals with issues of the Education system, in general. EDON seeks a radical change of the Primary School through the reform and the implementation of the New Curriculum with the simultaneous alignment of the new timetables. Our vision continues to be the construction of a human and democratic school, through the social integration of all children as well as by combating any early school dropouts.
22. EDON classifies Educations and more specifically Special – inclusive Education very high in its priorities for an educational system that ensures equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their integration both in schools and in the wider society. For the realization of our vision we strongly believe that the existing special school units should be supported, which based on the current situation, are able to cover the specialized needs of our fellow citizens. EDON’s position is based on the principles of safeguarding the rights of children with disabilities and their fundamental freedoms at equal basis with the rest of the children, equal opportunities, equal treatment, against any discrimination, ensuring at the same time the right for an independent living and full integration in the social and economic aspects of life.
23. In Secondary Education, during the five years administration of Demetris Christofia’s, the establishment of educational reform brought about the introduction of new course analytical timetables, the reduction to 25 pupils per class of all levels, the implementation of school bus institution, as well as the foundation and function of the Evening Technical School in Limassol and the extension of the Educational Priority Zone, of the Open and Music School. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that for the first time intensive Greek language classes were structured, addressed to foreign Primary and Secondary pupils, as well as increase of budget regarding upgrading school material-technical infrastructure.
Following the Anastasiade-DISY’s election, we have fallen to inactivity and regression. Specifically, the public education functions under the shadow of neo-liberal Troika’s, IMF’s and World Bank’s politics, of which the governing of Anastasiade-DISY’s is a faithful follower. At the centre of these politics lays the money saving, deducted from education. A characteristic example is the shutting down of schools. The recent reconstruction of educational system has emerged through shoddy and hasty manipulations, using students and teachers as “experimental subjects”.
24. A proper and anthropocentric higher education is one of the major social, economic, cultural and political aspects of the progress of people. Nowadays, Edon’s position is the continuous expansion of public and free higher education, by guaranteeing to all young people the chance to access it. EDON has the vision that the university will have human in its focus; a university that will be self-defined as a Public Educational Institution in the service of social needs; a university that will work with other higher educational institutions to upgrade the provided education. We want a human and democratic university, truly public and free for all that will promote scientific knowledge and academic research. Promote research on the basis of scientific knowledge rather than entrepreneurship as another social entity in the service of the youth, our people in general and their needs.
The efforts made in the field of higher education at European level towards the subordination of education to the needs of the Capital, we have but to put forward our vision of the University. Against any aspirations for bankruptcy of the content of studies, we aim for a comprehensive curricula, which will deliver comprehensive scientists with general knowledge and developed social criterion; people who can deal with various challenges in life and not specialized, but socially illiterate people. We want the University to have the orientation of creative interaction with society and listen to its needs.
25. Young people, who serve their military service at the National Guard, are asked to carry out a difficult and important task within the current conditions of the Turkish occupation in Cyprus. In spite of all the positive steps that have taken place in recent years concerning the living conditions of guardsmen, the operation of the National Guard is still characterized by elements that do not coincide with the broader level of social development. EDON will continue standing by the young militants and will continue to challenge in order to achieve a qualitative change in the National Guard.
26. Meritocracy refers to the selection and utilization of people with more and better skills in various areas of society. Since its foundation, The Republic of Cyprus has been structured on the premise of conservatism, status quo and right wing politics. This state of affairs was reinforced in the ten-year right wing governance (1993-2003), which, unfortunately, worsened the problems of clientelesm, lack of meritocracy and the mentality of easy profit, while it impose the intervention of parties in the public sector and pure management. This phenomena have become a social plague, leading to the increase of corruption in the Cypriot society; Such phenomena- especially in conditions of occupation-endanger not only the future of our society, but our country’s as well. Unfortunately, these phenomena are repeated by the governance of Nikos Anastasiadis, which overturns the efforts made by the governance of Demetris Christofias for restoration of institutions and values in our country.
As EDON, we believe that there is need to keep unhesitatingly to a great battle in order to bring about a qualitative change, without the illusion that such phenomena inherent in the capitalist system, can be eliminated in the given socio-economic conditions.
27. We are particularly concerned about the very high unemployment rate recorded among young people. Exclusion from work for an ever increasing number of people, especially young people, is actually a sentence to permanent life uncertainty, which can also lead to physical death. These people’s exclusion from capitalist society’s function, inevitably leads to rapid increase in crime, marginalization of the youth, suicides, drugs, racism etc.
Διαφωνούμε με τις συνεχιζόμενες προσπάθειες για επέκταση του ορίου αφυπηρέτησης και ιδιαίτερα με την διασύνδεση του με το προσδόκιμο ζωής αλλά και την γενικότερη απορρύθμιση της εργασίας όπως μεθοδεύουν η Τρόικα και η κυβέρνηση Αναστασιάδη – ΔΗΣΥ. Ζητούμε άμεσα την αποσύνδεση του ορίου αφυπηρέτησης με το προσδόκιμο ζωής, αλλά και να εξεταστεί η σταδιακή μείωση των ορίων αφυπηρέτησης.
We stand against the exploitation of young workers and against the free practice, which enhances the exploitation of students and leads to a misleading concealment of job positions from the employers' side.
Express our solidarity to all the unemployed and especially young people and their families. We call on them to organize with EDON in our struggle for the right to work and work with rights.
28. Despite the fact that housing is an essential social good, which the state should play the first role in ensuring it, the housing problem has been worsening due to the lack of a comprehensive policy addressing the problem for decades, now putting pressure particularly on young people.
At the same time the outbreak of the global financial crisis of capitalism has led the problem to unprecedented proportions, resulting to the inability of young couples to owe their own house, and even if they are able, to keep it with many difficulties. Unemployment, low wages, the extremely high prices of real estate, the high construction costs and the lack of financing, hinder housing even more, especially amongst young people..
29. For us, as a political youth organization of the Left, culture is a special feature of society and reflects the level of historical development. It is an expression of people's relationship with nature and society, and specific expression of the development of creative forces and abilities of the individual. A mission of culture, in our view, should be to create critical thinking humans, their education and contribution to social progress. We understand culture as an element that shapes the spiritual, material and moral values of a people, his aesthetic criteria, his standards and his attitudes towards other peoples. Based on its character and ideology, EDON tried to use culture as a vital tool for political and social improvement, which will show an authentic way of life and an ideal man who will create life, will claim and fight for a better future.
30. The development of sporting activity among young people contributes significantly to the creative use of leisure time, to the comprehensive development of their personality, to their physical and mental health, to the cultivation of skills and character through the development of fair play. Sports contribute to the development of resistance against the scourge of drugs and other addictions, violence and crime, but also, to the massive subculture that overwhelms the youth. Fosters consciences with universal values, develop brotherhood and solidarity between peoples and people. For EDON sport is a right of the people, which everyone, without exception, should be able to easily access. We fight and we demand that the state extends the conditions of mass sport for young people. At the same time, we believe in the need for growth and development of competitive sports, which contributes to the promotion of our country through international sporting success and participation.
31. The creative use of free time is a prerequisite for proper and multifaceted personality development of young people. Apart from sports and cultural activities, holidays offer also the possibility for a multidimensional development of the personality of each individual. At the same time, holiday’s period is necessary in order to give the opportunity to people to rest, physically and mentally, far from exhausting pace of life imposed by capitalist society and in order to cope with the daily routine of work and other obligations. Within the current development stage of capitalism, even the given right to vacations is not provided to all. EDON faces holidays as a right, in which all young men and women of Cyprus should have easy and affordable access. At the same time, however, we consider tourism as a way for young people to come in contact with the achievements of culture in Cyprus and worldwide, as well as an educational tool.
32. The fight against addictions was and is one of the major pillars of action of our Organization. Addictions are a scourge inherent by the socio-economic system we live in, and they are the result of the problems, deadlocks and uncertainties that the modern capitalist system is producing and reproducing and is affecting the young people. In this system, which is described by the commercialization of everything, it is thought as normal and natural to address humans as expendables from which profit can be extracted. The drug trade will continue to exist as long as the trade itself exists and it has the same flesh as capitalism and it obeys the laws of this system. Our position on how to address this problem is based on a package of measures for prevention - treatment - social reintegration. EDON is totally against the approaches of the artificial separation between soft and hard drugs, as well as their legitimacy. The efforts to efficiently address this problem should be interwoven with the elimination of social injustices.
33. The Public Health is on the target by the policies of the memorandum and the government, proceeding to significant budget cuts on health. The picture of public hospitals, today, shows that the health sector in Cyprus is facing huge problems. The understaffing, lack of medicines, technical materials and equipment are some examples of the state of our public hospitals. At the same time, the government methodises the overturn of the plans for the G.H.S. and promotes the multi-insurance health system which will “turn” the health from an obvious right to a privilege of the few. As EDON, we underline that the need for public and free health system that covers the needs of people and youth. The public hospitals should become the backbone of the health system by providing quality care and treatment. We underline the need for implementation and operation of G.H.S. as it is voted and passed in 2001.
34. The young people that are particularly influenced by the phenomenon of delinquency come from the poorest classes of the population. This confirms the class character of this phenomenon and indicates that the main root cause of such phenomena are the innate features of capitalism, such as economic inequality, social injustice, lack of equal opportunities for young people and alienation. For EDON the most important contribution to deal with juvenile delinquency is the integration of young people into organized life and struggle, through the ranks of the Organization.
35. Since the emergence of capitalism, industrialization of production was combined with the irrational use of natural resources of the earth. Such as energy, water, forests etc. At the same time in the name of the so called, by the capitalists, "development", nature has become a consumable product. Capital has the ultimate responsibility for the current situation. The above is one of the main arguments, because the struggle for the protection of environment is a struggle against capitalism. In recent years environmental awareness has been raised. To this approach, the popular movement has contributed with proposals and demands based on an overall critical approach to the development process.
36. Social phenomena deriving from Capitalism, such as economic inequality, poverty, unemployment and social instability, affecting the developed and as well as the developing countries, provide space for the development of racism and hostility against immigrants. The upward trend of immigration over the past two decades came as a result of the imposition of neoliberal policies, with a consequent worsening of the above social phenomena and also through the intensification of the aggressiveness of imperialism. The phenomenon of immigration is exploited by the socio - economic establishment as the scapegoat responsible for all the incongruities in society. EDON considers both Cypriot and foreign workers as victims of local and multinational capital, as well as subjects to exploitation and oppression by the same big interests, whichever title they bear. Therefore, what should be the common struggle of Cypriot and foreign workers, is the focusing on efficiency and respect for labor, the social and civil rights for all workers and the consistent struggle of workers against capitalism and the neoliberal policies that are attached to it.
Institutions such as the educational system and the media, should assist in developing cultural acceptance of diversity and not in the production or reproduction of racist or hostile messages. The objective must be to integrate these people in the rest of Cypriot society and not their ghettoization. Multiculturalism constitutes a social wealth for our country. The new immigrants are an important part of young workers with specific problems and a particular heritage. In cooperation with the class oriented trade union movement, we should increase our contacts and action among young immigrants.
37. The policy of discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation, was and remains unacceptable. For us, the right of people to choose their sexual orientation is absolutely respected. In modern conditions is unacceptable the attitude of conservative circles, such as the Church, who are treating LGBT (Lesbian, homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals) individuals as marginal and not as equal. We believe that the educational system should develop a culture of acceptance of the choice of sexual orientation. Moreover, we consider important that the State carries out campaigns to combat stereotypes and prejudice against LGBT people. All the people should be judged based on their class position and consciousness and not on the basis of their sex or their sexual orientation.
38. Young people play an important role in the local communities on issues to do immediately with the society (culture, sports, education, social issues and others) as well as more general matters (urban planning and public infrastructure, environmental issues, European action programs and others). EDON will continue its efforts towards the successful participation of the youth in local governance procedures. Additionally, apart from the institutions, we are called upon to develop action and contribution on a local level.
39. A woman is called to fulfil many roles in a hostile social environment, which is cultivated and reproduced by the system. Such roles are of the wife, mother and worker. Unemployment, flexible working arrangements, the separation and standardization of occupations based on gender, has relentlessly hit the female population. To the front of the organized struggles and the struggle of ideas, as a youth organization it’s necessary to bring out, even more decisively, the class character of the women’s issue connecting it with the modern and daily problems of the working women. This will contribute to the effort of isolating the bourgeois ideologies that flourish within the European Union and degrade the women’s question as an issue of gender competition, sexist prejudices or that of a reduced participation of women in decision-making. Consequently EDON has a significant role to play in order to change this mentality; both in young people for the equal sharing of responsibilities within a family, as well as to educate young women, so as to develop a collective struggle culture on issues that concern them.
40. We, as EDON, believe that these possibilities offered by the internet should be focused on the needs of people, like any scientific progress should do in nowadays. Considering the social environment that we live now, these possibilities are utilized primarily for the creation of «dormant» consciences. It is then necessary to ensure the secure use of the internet by everybody. The main problem of this misuse is that the majority of internet users are not aware of the risks that exist from the wrong way of using it. The secure use of the internet can offer knowledge in a short period of time. For this reason, we, as EDON, believe that the educational system should provide such knowledge to the youth in order to use the internet safely.
The structure of EDON
41. The basis of the whole edifice of EDON is the Local Organization (L.O.), which develops activities in the community, the neighbourhood, at school, at workplaces, schools and Universities. A local mass organization, which operates and is active in various directions, can do better than no one else to embrace and be embraced by young people to channel very effectively the willingness of youth for massive participation and collective action. Furthermore, a longstanding objective of EDON is to increase the number of local organizations, their systematic function and mass participation of members of the Organization in the life and activity of the L.O. Under the present conditions of the intensification of attacks against both the Left and the new generation problems due to the capitalist crisis, the perfect organizational situation of EDON becomes even more imperative.
Unfortunately, since the 17th Pancyprian Congress, the Organization has entered in an organizational point in which contributed largely the attacks against the Left and the Popular Movement and the overall de-politicization and obsolescence promoted systematically and methodically. This setback in our members’ numbers is apparent in all the departments of our organization, mainly in the Students’ and Young Workers’ departments.
42. It is in the local organizations and their level of operation that EDON supports the constant and systematic action, the implementation of objectives and utilization of all the more growing number of members. Therefore, constantly pursuing the proper functioning of our local organizations has a special significance.
The Local Committee, which guides the action of the Local Organization of the General Assembly to the General Assembly, should meet often and regularly to ensure for the implementation of the plan of activities and the involvement EDON members in the works of the organization.
The District Councils and especially the District Secretariats, should be ready to provide concrete assistance to local organizations and continuously monitor them by providing guidance rather than replacing them. Control and support of our work should also be provided by the Central Secretariat towards the District Organizations.
A prerequisite is the adequate staffing of the guide bodies with members of the organization who have the political and organizational capabilities.
The local committee that guides the actions of the local organization from one General Assembly to another General Assembly should meet often and regularly to ensure the implementation of the plan of action, so that it widens the engagement of members at the everyday work.
43. The role of the guiding bodies of EDON towards the objectives and the proper functioning of the Organization is crucial, so we always should keep their contact alive with the base.
In order for the guiding bodies to be able to guide the work of the Organization developed at all levels and in various directions, they need to listen to the pulse of youth, the timeliness of problems, their pursuits and their concerns, so as to correctly evaluate the objectives and actions undertaken by the Organization.
44. The nature and character of EDON requires frequent replacement of members, so there is a need for long term plans to renew and strengthen the guiding bodies and local organizations with new executive members. The involvement of young people in the daily activity of the Organization and the fermentation in the field of the struggle for claiming solutions for the problems, consists the conditions for the creation of the basis on which we can support the political promotion of the members of EDON.
It is necessary to strengthen the ties and the organizational relationship of L.O.s of the Student, University Student and Young Workers, so that through the transfer from the one part to the other, not only to not have a loss of power, but also to achieve the strengthening and the massification of our lines on the Domestic Organizations separately, and for EDON in general.
45. To become a new member of EDON is an action which is first of all political. To register as a member of EDON is not simple and we should give the relevant importance.
The success of the period when we focus on approaching young people to become members of EDON during the academic year is the basis for the fulfilment of our goals in the rest of the year. Especially when it comes to an organization with the character of EDON, whose massiveness, support to the base, involvement of each member to work and the ability to reach everyone is primarily an ideological choice. The dialectical relationship between the quantitative and qualitative during organizational dash is the component for success. Η διαλεκτική σχέση μεταξύ του ποσοτικού και του ποιοτικού στην οργανωτική εξόρμηση αποτελεί το συστατικό στοιχείο για την επιτυχία.
46. The Pancyprian Pioneer Movement (PPM) of EDON through its multifaceted action addresses to children aged 6-14 years old and aims at instilling the children with the ideals of democracy, equality, peace and justice. The PPM has diachronically been aiming at cultivating the sense of solidarity and friendship between the peoples of the world.
Unfortunately, based on the way the Cypriot society is evolving, influenced by the global socio-economic situation, deprives children the essential conditions to live a truly creative childhood. The promotion of individualism, racism and xenophobia, the commercialization of education and entertainment, is cultivated in various ways to the children through their social environment.
The Organization has to continue to set the massification of the PPM as one of its priorities. This will be accomplished through the continuous enrichment of its action but mostly through the better cooperation with our local clubs and the wider People’s movement, as well as with the development of actions which will address and impact the local society.
An objective of our organization is the establishment of Local Movements in all districts, everywhere and anywhere the necessary prerequisites exist. An other objective should be the dissemination of the character and action of the PPM in all the departments of the organization.
47. The existence of student L.O. enables us to acquire a perception of the situation in schools. Today, it is extremely important to strengthen the action of L.O. and upgrading their political role among the students, bearing in mind that an important role in the formation of consciences is occupied by the internet and the media. The result is great part of the students to share the de-politicisation and is characterized by individualism and competitiveness. In recent years, we have seen a decrease in the number of students-members of the Organisation. Also it is observed an inactivation or reduction of our action in student L.O, especially in the cases of regional schools or schools in the countryside, and even in some schools of the urban centre. This, combined with our student’s L.O.’s inability to present year-round activity does not allow our student section to develop multi-layered actions.
Considerable effort was made to intensify our work on a political - educational level, as well as towards the direction of upgrading and publicising PEOM’s actions both inside and outside school, and online. PEOM remains a rallying pole for the progressive forces among the students.
Our student members are the voice of EDON at each school. Therefore, the objective of our daily work should be to create conditions so that our members in our school to be able to take uppolitical and organizational responsibilities. Our unswerving objective also is the active participation of more and more EDON members in the student bodies, serving as advocates of the real interests of the students, where the steps and actions they undertake reinforce the legitimacy, effectiveness, momentum and the dignity student movement.
48. The creation of the university students’ department of EDON, after appreciating correctly the conditions under which Higher Education would develop, with the constantly raising number of young people aiming to be educated, led to further organization of our intervention in all student areas. The University Student Department continues to strengthen in recent years, while it continues to be the largest in number, District Organization of EDON.
Our stabilized high rates in many Student Unions are of great importance for the wider student movement. This proves the trust we receive in terms of our political actions, our philosophy, as well as towards our cultural and unionist actions. Good work is done by taking advantage of the wider expression of our unionist character of Proodeftiki Student Movement which was founded in 1974 and during its 41 year old history its actions and track of claims were of significant importance for the student movement. We ought to pay attention to the local organisations where we do not have adequate members. This will aid significantly in our aim to reclaim the first position in the election results of POFEN.
One of the biggest challenges that the Department has to face, is the ideological as well as political education in addition to the emerge of executive members. At the same time, the Department has made significant progress in its participation of members in the life as well as actions of the Organization as a whole. Our main aim remains the same: the ongoing massification of the Student Department.
49. The decision about creating a Department of Young Workers of EDON, based on the Student Department, at the 16thPancyprian Congress in January 2010, marked major changes in District and Central level of the organization. Efforts continue to improve our action among young workers and to reverse the continuous decline in the number of young workers who are members of the Organization. Based on both quantitative and qualitative data, there was an increase in young workers members of the Organization as well as in the L.O. of Young Workers, accompanied by improvement in their action.
By reviewing our actions and activities raised at the 16thPancyprian Congress and conducting until today, we can say that the correctness of this decision is confirmed.
The negative fact that remains is the problem of involving young people who just finished the secondary education and go directly to work. However, there is an improvement in the activities of the Department as since the 17thPancyprian Congress, we have organized and focused on many specialized topics that affect young workers, including events and organized meeting with several aspects of society that are related to the youth. However, in some cases, there is a problem in the development of character at many local organizations, specifically in their action that appeals to young workers.
There is plenty of scope for involving younger worker in the actions of EDON. The local organizations of this Department should become organizations for involvement, for educational and ideological work, for highlighting problems of young people and a springboard for struggles and demands of young people in each area.
50. The festival movement is the expression of EDON’s cultural and political intervention in the society. Undoubtedly, EDON’s Festivals have been established in the minds of the youth and our people as the leading political, cultural and social event, full of humanity and dignity. It is an institution which maintains it’s dynamic from the universal visions, values and ideals that inspire and guide EDON. EDON’s Festivals are a powerful mechanism of counter attack against mass subculture and decayed cultural products that poison the minds of young people and not only.
51. Our broad activity is an integral part of our Organizations action and concerns the field of cutlure as well as the broader youth entertainment field. Our broad activity includes festivals, concerts, political and artistic events, sports tournaments and championships, theatrical plays, excursions, parties, music events, cinema, the preservation of music, dance, theater groups etc. EDON aims at actively involving young people in arts and culture, providing thus creative approach to their concerns, their interests and their needs. At the same time the broad activity of our Organization offers the opportunity to contact the big mass of young people. This constitutes an extremely important mechanism for the direct and indirect political and ideological impact of EDON on broad layers of youth.
52. The Clubs and associations of the P’eoples Movement have been for decades an example of cultural, sports, and political activity and creativity. Today, in most cases the Associations are unable to play the same role and as a result their action presents a serious recession.
On the other hand, we observe that, when Associations created special spaces for youth, cultural groups or dance, music, theater groups or even where the Associations managed to create team or individual sports groups, it appeared that the effort was, to a large extent, successful, giving in this way a creative way out to many young people.
On the basis of the above findings and in recognition of the role and exceptional importance which the sports-educative associations should play, as the most important mean of contact of the popular movement with local communities, itis required that measures practical and implementable should be taken.
53. The ideological work becomes meaningful only when applied from theory to practice, serving the organizational and political work of the Organization.
The upgrading of educational - ideological work of EDON is a necessary prerequisite for creating a strong basis of support to the struggle of EDON and its perspective. In a contradictory and complex world, with the dominant ideology to be promoted more and more intensively, the ideological-educative strengthening of the members of EDON is an imperative need.
Self-education, as a supplement to the educational work of the Organization, is a key driver of the ideological training of each member of EDON. Through self-education and the raising of the ideological level, each EDON member is more ready to fight against the ideological attacks of the ruling class.
Our educational activity extends, of course, to the information and analysis of the current political affairs (international and local), to the history of the Popular Movement and other special issues related to youth.
54. The presence of EDON in the global left progressive youth movement is based on two key policy directions. First: the struggle for a solution to the Cyprus problem. Secondly: internationalist solidarity, which stems from our ideological vision that the Left should be leading the practical support of all peoples struggling for freedom, independence, prosperity and social justice, progress and socialism.
Towards resolving the Cyprus problem, the organization has managed to keep the fraternal organizations and the international or regional structures in which it participates, up-to-date. At the same time our Organization successfully managed to include our positions on the solution of the Cyprus problem in decision documents and resolutions of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, as well as in the political documents of the 19th General Assembly, as well as in the political declaration of the 18th WFYS in Ecuador. Of particular importance is the fact that in the 18th WFYS in Ecuador, the Organization has presented the Cyprus problem in the Anti-imperialist Court of the World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS).
At the level of international solidarity and international action, the Organization participated in solidarity missions, in anti-imperialist camps, various youth organizations congresses, in the Meetings of the European Communist Youth Organizations and the General Councils of WFDY. Delegations of the organization travelled in other countries in various other missions.
55. A key pillar of international action of EDON is the work of WFDY. WFDY is recognized as the true advocate of the progressive youth movement in the struggle against imperialism and war, for democracy, freedom, social progress and peace. WFDY has managed to recover to a large extent, after the problems (political and organizational) presented in the 90s and developed a versatile and effective action in almost all continents.
Since our previous congress, WFDY held the 19th General Assembly in Cuba, during November 2015. The Assembly is another historic milestone for EDON, as our organization was reelected for second consecutive term as President of the Federation. Having the presidency of the Federation, EDON commits to continue coordinating the joint action of the over-130-member-organizations of the Federation globally. EDON has the duty to create the best possible conditions so that the strengthening of WFDY will continue in the coming years. In the Presidency of WFDY, EDON contribute to the efforts to further internationalize the Cyprus problem by keeping informed the hundreds of member organizations of WFDY.
The institution of the World Festivals of Youth and Students (WFYS) consists the greatest event in the anti-imperialist struggle of the young generation. EDON assumed for the first time the presidency of the International Organizing Committee of the 18th WFYS, a duty that was concluded with consistence and seriousness elevating the appreciation that our organization receives in the eyes of the organizations that participated. Furthermore, a decisive factor, in our view, for the success of the institution of WFYS, is to ensure their anti-imperialist character and content.
56. The newspaper of EDON has been through many hardships during the long history of its publication, changing from time to time its form, mostly because of the Organization’s financial problems. EDON remains the only political youth organization that publishes a newspaper on a regular basis that is addressed exclusively to the young people.
Our goals for the newspaper “NEOLEA” focus on two directions: on the one hand, we are focused to the upgrade and the quality of the newspaper’s content, the enrichment of the topics and the projection of the status and activities of the Organization. On the other hand, it focuses on its spreading through the district organizations, in order to reach more young people each time an issue comes out.
Our main concern should be the increase of the publication of our newspaper. Besides the financial benefit we could have from this increase, it is of huge political significance for EDON that it reaches the hands of as many young people as possible. “Neolea” constitutes one of the very few voices left in Cyprus that are opposed to the corrupted Media and promotes its own opinion, viewpoint and political activity.
57. The running of the Camp of EDON is one of the most important activities for the two biggest sections of the Organization, the Students’ section and the Children’s section (EDON’s Pioneer Movement). Every year we should set the foundations so that the activities in the Camp contribute in a determinant way to the ideological and political preparation of the students-members of EDON. Also, to contribute to the creation of Pioneers that can have qualities such as sensibility and consciousness, and to enhance the ties between our members and the ties between our Members and the Organization. At the same time, the Camp should carry on offering the opportunity to the Pioneers and the other members to take full advantage of their free time in a creative and productive way by contacting a wide range of cultural and sport activities. The possibility of the participation in the camps of EDON of all the ages of our compatriots Turkish Cypriots as n campers and not just as guests.
58. The 18th Pancyprian Congress of our Organizations consist a point for counterattack. A counterattack which will upgrade the struggle of the progressive, left-oriented youth of Cyprus, aiming to conquest and realize our visions. So we set as our priority the struggle for the reunification of our country. We link this noble goal in harmony with the struggle to improve the quality of life of the new generation. We maintain a clear perspective of constructing the qualitatively superior society. A society of democracy, freedom, social justice, equality, solidarity, of socialism.
We are well aware that social change undergoes the current struggles. Within the current complex and hostile conditions EDON will continue to stand firm and solid, strong and massive; continue the way of struggle for social justice and progress.
“Organization-Counterattack everywhere, by the side of EDON for the justice of the people”
January 2016, Nicosia