GEORGE PAPANDREOU
PRESIDENT
OF THE SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL

LUIS AYALA
SECRETARY GENERAL
OF SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL

Dear Friends,

At present the authorities of Ukraine openly pursue the policy of crushing their political opponents by setting a course for banning the activity of the undesirable Communist Party.

On July 24, the District Administrative Court of Kiev started hearing on the ban of the Communist Party of Ukraine. On July 22, the Verkhovnaya Rada adopted changes to the Reglament required for the dissolution of the Communist Party faction, and President Piotr Poroshenko signed them already on July 23. Chairman of the Verkhovnaya Rada Alexander Turchynov declared the dissolution of the Communist Party faction on July 24.

The Communist Party of Ukraine is one of the oldest political parties in the country (it was registered in October 1993). The party finished in fourth place (13,18 %) in the parliamentary elections in the result of the nation-wide vote and received 32 mandates in the Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine.

We remember very well from history that the communist idea genetically stands against the ideology of national socialism and fascism.

Ideological affinity, similar understanding of the role and place of the Man of Labor in contemporary society unite us, the leftists, with the left-leaning parties. Nowadays in many countries of the world such as the USA, Canada, Argentine, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, India and others, the communist parties (being an opposition political force) carry out their activities without restriction and promote strengthening and democratization of the social and political processes.

Under the conditions of an open manifestation of disrespect by the Kiev current authorities to the founding principles of democracy – free expression of the will of the citizens of the country who voted for the Communist Party at a regular parliamentary election – the Socialist International cannot stand aside, it must clearly express its attitude to the political repressions in Ukraine.

In this regard, we are of opinion that it would be important and well-timed to make a declaration on behalf of the SocIntern leadership about inadmissibility of banning the activity of the Communist Party of Ukraine and an immediate termination of political persecution of its members and adherents.

With a fraternal greeting,

S. Mironov