This is a report stitched together by some individuals who were at the preparation meeting in Athens on 23.-24.11.2002. Apologies for the delay (there is a war going on, you know...)

The European Union Summit is opening on June 20st in Thessaloniki, in northern Greece. Around Thessaloniki itself and Halkidiki, the three-legged peninsula there is to be a large exclusion zone of several miles. Any attempt to get to the actual venue will end up with people fighting in the countryside far away from it. However, since Porto Carras Hotel is a small place, it can be blockaded by the demonstrators. We are waiting for your ideas, in order to organise the best blockade mission to the Porto Carras Hotel. We will stay in the town of Thessaloniki, the second town in Greece (1.500.000 inhabitants), where the great demonstrations are going to be held. Our aim is to formulate a left block against the EU’s politics and the European governments, the Greek EU-presidency as well. Let’s fight with us against capitalism and its supporters.

In this context we invite you to take part in the INTERNATIONAL CAMPING AGAINST CAPITALISM AND IMPERIALISM, which is organized by us in Thessaloniki, Greece (14.-22.06.2003). We would like to get in contact with everyone who turns down the European Union substantially, to discuss on our opinions and our movement experiences and to march together against the RED ZONES in front of our future.

The participation in the Camping is free of charge, the different opinions are of course respectable, we can offer you any possible help (Medicare, orientation, communication) and the action program can be enriched by your suggestions, e.g. workshops, discussions, ideas. The intention to be in touch with you after the EU Summit 2003 in Thessaloniki is of highest importance. We can meet each other in the next fighting mobilizations taking place in the future…

For further information check our site www.thessaloniki2003.gr for greek-speaking people or send a message in English to epag@panafonet.gr

ENTER

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE THESSALONIKI 2003

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

PROGRAM OF ACTIONS

The Struggle Initiative ‘Thessaloniki 2003’ wants to contribute to the development of a mass movement against the E. U. and the Greek presidency, against the war, against capitalist-imperialist globalisation itself as well as its mechanisms, and also against the government in our country itself, and has scheduled a course of action. In this light, our Initiative will live and breathe through the labour and youth struggles, the strikes of the working people and the student movements. It will be developing within this framework and it will be contributing to the anti-E.U., anti-capitalist, anti-imperialistic and anti-war direction of the labour and youth struggles. Only in this way will the struggle against the Greek presidency, the E.U. and all the mechanisms of ‘globalisation’ have πλειοψηφικά χαρακτηριστικά and it will be socially grounded.

Apart from this initial activity, the Struggle Initiative ‘Thessaloniki 2003’ will also organise events of different forms (mobilizations, protestations, workshops) and will participate autonomously in the movements-protestations of the mass movement.

Our proposal is addressed to: 1) fighters of independent radical groups of the labor and the youth movement and of the other fronts (city – environment, democratic rights and freedoms, etc.). 2) To the mass movement and its organizations (unions, student unions, base committees). 3) To the other trends and currents that prepare activities for the meeting of the 15 in Thessaloniki.

This program seeks to set some ‘landmarks’ in the whole of the activities of the Initiative. Apart form this, in neighborhoods, social spaces, as well as in other special themes-fronts of action, there will be efforts for the organization of events, for the publishing of material, etc. So, we could also discuss other activities, as the organization of exhibitions of photographic and other material from the international demonstrations, video projections, etc. in cultural community centers and in Universities. Within this framework, we are thinking on the possibility of organizing an art exhibition from Palestine and Israel with an anti-war pro-peace content. Also, a public discussion on local government and the E.U. which will be undertaken by the city movements that participate in the Initiative, as well as a three-day discussion for the big issues that arise from the capitalistic-imperialistic globalization.

We are promptly publishing a resolution of denunciation against the Berlusconi government and of solidarity towards the arrested members of the ‘disobedients’. On Tuesday 26/11 we call a mobilization at the Italian embassy at 6 p.m. We fight so that labour unions and student unions, general assemblies or administration boards will adopt the resolution. As soon as the resolutions are assembled a solidarity visit to Italy will be organized.

On 10-15 December we organize the members of the Struggle Initiative ‘Thessaloniki 2003’ will go to Copenhagen where the summit meeting of the E.U will be taking place, and ‘the torch will be passed’ to the Greek presidency. Our aim is the development of international contacts especially with the movement of northern Europe, in view of the demonstrations and the manifestations for Thessaloniki 2003. During the same period of time we will organize events in Athens and Thessaloniki, in the form of an open forum on the Cyprus issue on 19/12, while on 12/12 we welcome on the roads the ‘passing of the torch’ from Denmark to Greece, by organizing anti-E.U. mobilizations that will have as a focus the opposition-rejection of the Anann project.

During the 10-days period of 15-25/01/2003 we organize events in every city with the theme (this will not necessarily be the title) ‘how are we going to face the Greek presidency of the E.U’ having as a direction its co-organization with the rest of the organized forces. If they refuse to participate we will still do it autonomously.

On Friday 24 January we organize a mobilization in the unofficial meeting for employment of Labor Ministers in Nauplio.

On 15 February we participate in the European anti-war day of action, which is called by the European social forum, and we propose to the unions and students anti-war strike rallies in all cities. In the case of earlier intervention on Iraq by the USA and its allies, we call accordingly. Within the framework of anti-war activities we take the initiative of organizing a pan-Hellenic mobilization ‘for the blocking of the imperialistic war-machine’ on the base of Souda, in Crete.

On 1-2 March within the framework of the unofficial meeting of the 15 Ministers of Education in Ioannina, we organize on the first day (Saturday) an ‘anti-meeting’ of Education with the student formations of the EAAK (United Independent Left Wing Student Groups) and with the independent left wing groups of teachers as well as with the participation by the italian COBAS of teachers and the movements of students from Spain, France, Italy. On Sunday we call in a demonstration against the regulations of Bologna and the total anti-educational policy of the E.U.

Friday 28 March, on the occasion of the unofficial meeting of the 15 Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs in Veroia we co-organize, together with the ‘Committee against the state terrorism of government – USA – E.U.’ and the Alternative Intervention of Lawyers (an independent left wing group of lawyers), a discussion for the democratic rights and the popular freedoms against the anti-terrorism laws – European anti-terrorism laws, Shengen, etc. in Thessaloniki.

4-5-6 April (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). Unofficial meeting of the ECOFIN (Ministers of Finance) in Chania. In Friday we call a demonstration against the austerity – unemployment – program of stability. On Saturday we organize a panel for the economic crisis with Greek economists and participations of European intellectuals.

10-16 April ‘Week of Action against the E.U.’ On 12-13 April we organize in Athens and on 14-15 in Thessaloniki an International meeting of forces against the E.U. in the form of two-days events with the topic: ‘European completion and labor movement’. Within the framework of this two-days event we aim to organize a discussion with the topic ‘The struggle against Privatization in E.U.’, by inviting trade union representatives from SABENA, from British Rail, etc. On 16 April, the day of the ceremonial signing of the agreement of expansion, we call large Anti-E.U. rallies in all cities.

Monday 5 May. Education-Youth-Culture. Unofficial meeting of ministers in Athens. Concert in Prpylaia together with the ‘Anti-2004’ Initiative, having a content against the Olympic games, against the Olympic voluntarism etc.

10-11 May, on the occasion of the unofficial meeting of the 15 Ministers of Agriculture in Corfu on 12-13 May, we organize in Corfu and Larissa a discussion for the agrarian movement in Greece and Europe with the participation of European trade union activities. On the second day we organize demonstrations against the CAP and the other agricultural policies of E.U.

14-22 June. International anti-capitalist and anti-imperialistic camping in Thessaloniki.

20 June (Friday). Day of political disobedience and anti-capitalist and anti-imperialistic demonstration against the E.U. in Thessaloniki.

21 June (Saturday). Participation in the demonstration against the Summit Meeting in Thessaloniki.

This schedule was decided in the pan-Hellenic two-days meeting of constitution of the ‘Struggle Initiative – Thessaloniki 2003’ on 23/24 November in Athens.

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

NEWS

Press release

16.04.2003, April 2003

www.oocities.org/summit2003eu

www.thessaloniki2003.gr

Greece: Police Violence against anti-EU demos during the EU Summit in Athens.

ATHENS, Greece – Massive demonstrations against the war in Iraq turned against the European Union and its plans for the next period.

The Greek government didn’t achieve to repel the thousands of demonstrators who occupied the center of the capital. The police estimated only a number of 8000 thousands and arrested over 100 of them in their attempt to break through the police lines in Syntagma Square, hundreds of meters from the EU summit. The Struggle Initiative Thessaloniki 2003 blocks were attacked by police forces in order to be repelled as their political aim was to reach the site where EU leaders were meeting. Other groups or political alliances had no intention to confront the RED ZONES and wanted to send out only an anti-war message without any criticism against the structures of the EU.

The summit was regarded as a success of the Greek EU Presidency. "This is a kiss-and-make-up summit," said Theodorous Kouloumbis, head of the Hellenic Foundation for Defense and Foreign Policy, told Reuters. Greece, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, left Iraq off the official agenda on Wednesday, when the leaders of the 10 new members -- Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia -- are due to sign an accession treaty. The 10 will join the EU in May 2004, once all existing members have approved the enlargement process and each of the applicant countries have held referendums.

Struggle Initiative Thessaloniki 2003 mentions the political orientation of the movement against capitalism, war and the European Union. No other Europe is possible; any other Europe is as dangerous as the existing one. Stop the war anywhere either with or without UNO admission. We are for a workers movement against the EU, a movement really dangerous for the structures of the capitalistic social system.

Further information at www.thessaloniki2003.gr in Greek language.

International anti-capitalistic, anti-imperialistic Camping

(14-22/06/2003) Thessaloniki, Greece

www.oocities.org/summit2003eu

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

SOLIDARITY WITH THE TWO DANISH ACTIVISTS

who threw red paint on the Danish Prime Minister as he entered a press conference to declare the Danish participation in the war against Irak.

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE THESSALONIKI 2003

www.oocities.org/summit2003eu

International Camp against Capitalism and Imperialism in Greece (14.-22.06.2003) Thessaloniki

INVITATION

organized by STRUGGLE INITIATIVE THESSALONIKI 2003

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

PROGRAM OF ACTIONS

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

NEWS

STRUGGLE INITIATIVE - THESSALONIKI 2003

International Camp against Capitalism and Imperialism in Greece
(14.-22.06.2003) Thessaloniki

organized by
STRUGGLE INITIATIVE THESSALONIKI 2003