The coalition Government of the Socialdemocratic SYRIZA and the ultra rightwing ANEL approved last night in the Parliament the conducting of a Referendum on July 5th. This resolution was voted in the Parliament with 178 votes in favour coming from the three major parties, SYRIZA, the ultra rightwing racist ANEL and the neo-fascist party Golden Dawn.

The coalition of SYRIZA-ANEL is aiming with this referendum to transfer the responsibility over to the Greek people. At the same time they are trying to deceive the working people with many lies, hence the dilemma expressed by the Referendum is fake. The Greek Government denied including in the Referendum the question of the Memorandum p​ro​posed by the Government which includes an antipeoples, antilabour program of 8 billion euro undersigned by the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras himself toward the Troika.

Instead the Question of the Referendum only asks whether the Greek people approve or not the Memorandum proposed by Troika which in reality has little difference from the proposal of the Government.

Today the President of the Republic, Prokopis Paulopoulos will give his approval according to the law for the holding of the Referendum. It is important to note that the President of the Republic is elected by the Parliament and was chosen by SYRIZA and voted with the votes of SYRIZA, ANEL and the neoconservative New Democracy. The current President of the Republic has also served in the past as Member of the Parliament for 16 years and also 7 Years as Minister. In fact the period 2004-2009 he served as SuperMinister of Internal Affairs and Political Head of the Secret Services of Greece.

The working class of our Country must denounce with its vote on the 5th of July both Memorandums of Troika and of the Government. To denounce the European Union, the IMF and the European Central Bank and to demand its autonomy from those imperialist mechanisms. The class oriented movement must utilize these five days to inform all popular strata. The Government calls for a Referendum in such a short period exactly in order to prevent the substantial discussion.

At the same time we call the working people to denounce the political forces that accept the EU as a oneway road as they have huge responsibility for the current situation of our people.

 The Press Office

The developments in Greece, and the expected announcement of a new, antiworkers memorandum is connected with the daily attack on workers’ rights and wages. Many trade unions and Federations take up initiatives not only to block the new measures, but also to demand Collective Contracts that will better the wages and the working conditions of the workers.

In this context, already the Federations of Workers in Food and Drinks Industries has declared strike demanding Collective Agreement from the Employers in Drinks Industries and the Maritime Workers’ Trade Unions (PEMEN, Stefenson, PEEMAGEN) have declared Strike for the issues of their sector as well as for response to the New Memorandum on June 30.

The forces of PAME are on high alert and prepare the working class for massive, militant response to the anti workers developments.

International Secretariat