Anti-imperialist sections across Greece continue protests against the US-Greece agreement on bases. On May 12, Greek communists, trade unionists, youth/students groups and other anti-imperialist sections organized a massive protest rally to the Greek parliament in Athens where the agreement was discussed. Mobilizations were also organized in other major cities across Greece on Thursday, when the conservative New Democracy (ND)-dominated Greek parliament voted in favor of the agreement. 181 members of parliament (MPs) mainly from the ND and PASOK voted in favor of the agreement while 119 MPs from Syriza and the Communist party of Greece (KKE) voted against it. Anti-imperialist sections in Greece denounced the agreement as a ploy to further the integration of Greece into the imperialist agenda of NATO, risking the country’s sovereignty and security.
According to reports, the new agreement seeks to reform and extend the bilateral defense cooperation between Greece and the US for another five years, and envisages the US military’s continued and increased access to bases in mainland Greece, along with its long-standing naval presence on the island of Crete. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also scheduled a meeting with US President Joe Biden on May 16 in Washington, where they will discuss enhanced strategic cooperation between the two countries in the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey. Greece had earlier finalized a bilateral defense deal with France.
Meanwhile, the anti-imperialist and working class sections in Greece, especially the KKE, All Workers Militant Front (PAME), Hellenic Committee for International Detente and Peace (EEDYE), and Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), have been mobilizing across the country protesting the enhanced cooperation with military blocs and participation in imperialist endeavors.
The KKE said that the agreement extends and makes permanent the US military bases in Greece, including Souda, Larissa, Alexandroupolis, Volos, Stefanovikio and elsewhere. “Many parts of the country will be transformed into a vast military base, through which military missions are carried out, military forces are transported to Eastern Europe, exercises of enormous scale are carried out and with war scenarios, weapons systems of all kinds are transferred,” the party added.
The communists claim that not only the incumbent New Democracy (ND)-led government, but also the previous governments led by Syriza and PASOK also worked towards integrating Greece with NATO’s military agenda in the region.
