The Struggles Will Not Be Stopped!

 What the Government and employers did not achieve during the quarantine, to silence the mouths of the workers in healthcareand supermarket, the teachers, the hotel employees, all the workers and our people as a whole, they want to do so now with a junta-inspired law that imposes new measures of restriction, repression and banning of our basic democratic rights. Rights, which our people have won through many, long and bloody struggles.

The Greek government with its well-fed media announced its plan to ban demonstrations and rallies.

This “bill”, a copy of the dictatorship law of 1971 (!!!), which defines the police as the highest authority as it assigns it an expanded and executive role. In addition to its role in enforcing the law, it undertakes duties of “interpretation of the law.” It will be able to determine the restrictions to be imposed on a demonstration, to invent its own, to decide in advance whether a public gathering will be allowed, if it is spontaneous, what restrictions will be imposed. They bring the policeinside the unions, inside the demonstrations and protests.

The “new” bill states:

 “The organizer of the demonstration must inform the local police or port authority of his intention to invite the general public to an open-air public gathering. The notification shall include the identity and contact details of the organizer (natural person), the exact place, time of start, end, purpose and route of the demonstration. ” (Article 3)

The rally’s organizer “cooperates directly with the police authority and in particular with the Police Ombudsman (link between protesters and the state) and complies with his instructions, providing assistance in maintaining order.” (Article 4)

If the mobilization (march, rally, demonstration) is not announced, “the police authority may proceed with the dissolution of the above meeting …” (Articles 3 and 9). In addition, “imminent public gathering may be prohibited (even if it has been notified), if a serious threat to public safety is threatened or a serious disturbance of socio-economic life is threatened.” (Article 8)

 Participation in a demonstration is reduced to statutory , since:

 “Those who participate in a public outdoor gathering, which has been banned, shall be punished by imprisonment of one (1) to two (2) years.” (Article 14)

“The organizer of a public gathering is responsible for compensating those who have suffered damage to their lives and property;” (Article 14)

Prohibition also includes the number of protesters and the ability of police to change routes or gathering places. (Article 7, paragraph 4)

“The Minister of Public Order is authorized to regulate the dissolution of rallies,” they say, with concise procedures. (Article 15)

These measures we will make them empty words. They will remain on paper! They will not impose graveyard silence into the trade union movement.

Prohibition of protests, especially in the current period, is not an isolated act. Beyond the steady and timeless “desire” of governments and business groups, today it is coming to terms with the attack on labor rights being promoted at all levels on the occasion of the pandemic. Their regularity requires a graveyard silence and submission. The intention to intervene in the demonstrations completes the overall repression planning that wants the working people on the sidelines, speechless and their struggles frozen.

The workers will cancel any attempt to silence them, turn the workplaces into ghettos. The workers will cancel any law that makes resistance a criminal offense.

PAME calls all unions to condemn this reactionary development. To inform the people, to respond militantly.

The Right To Strike And To Protest Is Non-Negotiable!

The Struggles Will Not Be Stopped!