STRUGGLE INITIATIVE THESSALONIKI 2003

on the way to Thessaloniki...

Press release, 18 May 2003
www.thessaloniki2003.gr
 salonica_2003@yahoo.com
Tel. ++30-6973-727674
Tel./Fax ++30-2310-270082


General Assembly successfully ended on 18, May 2003!
Optimistic speeches, participation messages from all over Europe, greetings from other parts of the country are the dynamic features which sent a disobedience message to everyone. In less than 30 days the International Camping against Capitalism and Imperialism is opens up and waits for thousands of demonstrators and foreign missions from all over Europe. Student and workers groups, local movements, cultural blocs and strugglers from any part of the country are going to present their workshops. Struggle Initiative Thessaloniki 2003 accuses the Greek government of closing the University of Thessaloniki and trying to transform the movement against the EU into a feast not mentioning anything against the EU and government policies, e.g. (destruction of public services, attacks on labour rights, job precariousness, flexibility, layoffs and the dismantlement of social rights (welfare, pensions etc.). The Greek presidency is going to hold the EU-summit in a remote place which is situated 100 km from Thessaloniki, it has chosen this place in order to avoid disturbances by demonstrators and activists.
Struggle Initiative Thessaloniki 2003 has decided not to accept a closed city and is going to fight against any eventual red zones sending a disobedience message to the people’s fight against the system of capitalism…

Concerning the EU-Summit in Greece
EU summit will take place in the Porto Carras Hotel (about 100 km from Thessaloniki), from 20th to 22nd June 2003. This is a small resort in Halkidiki, a three-legged peninsula in North Greece without any movement tradition. The Greek presidency has chosen this place in order to avoid disturbances by demonstrators and activists.
The EU gathers the governments of the 15 richest industrialized countries in Europe and in the world and imposes a world order which benefits an enormously rich minority to the detriment of a huge majority of enslaved and oppressed individuals. We believe that between human beings, there should exist relationships other than that of the market, of domination, alienation and exploitation. Pollution, the waste of natural resources and differences in wealth are ever more catastrophic. Capitalistic globalization translates into a degradation of living and work conditions and an increase in social control. The bosses are on the offensive with the destruction of public services, attacks on labour rights, job precariousness, flexibility, layoffs and the dismantlement of social rights (welfare, pensions etc.).
This capitalist system cannot be reformed as it inevitably leads to these effects. The break with capitalism is, in our opinion, the only possible way to prevent a human and ecological economic catastrophe.