Bicommunal event to mark May 1

A bicommunal event will be held to mark May 1, Labour Day, outside the Ledra Palace hotel in Nicosia’s buffer zone.

The event has been organised by Cypriot trade unions which are members of the World Federation of Trade Unions; Peo, Dev-Is, Ktams, Ktos, Ktoeos, Bes, Koop-Sen, and Dau-Sen.

Peo secretary-general Sotiroula Charalambous decried the “attack of neoliberal policies on workers’ rights, wars in the world, the genocide being committed by Israel, the division in our country, and negotiations which never reach a conclusion.”

For this reason, she said, this year’s event would be held “under difficult and severe conditions”.

She said the message unions wished to give this year was for “developing policies against increasing prices and the impoverishment of the working class”.

Greek Cypriot participants in Wednesday’s event are invited to gather at Eleftheria Square in Nicosia at 10am, while Turkish Cypriot participants are invited to gather at Kugulu park at 9.30am.

Other such events are set to take place across Cyprus. In Limassol, workers will march from Peo’s headquarters in the city to Enaerios Square, and in Larnaca, they will march from Peo’s headquarters in the town to Finikoudes beach.

In Paphos and Ayia Napa, events will take place at Peo’s local headquarters.

Meanwhile, opposition Akel also released a statement, saying May 1 “is steeled with the many years of struggles waged and the blood shed by millions of the people of toil and labour for a better world.”

They added that they send “a warm and militant greeting to the working class of Cyprus and all working people, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins, as well as to all the immigrant workers who live and work in Cyprus.”

Additionally, they said working people “are fighting against the crisis aware that mankind will free itself and overcome the evils that are inherent in the capitalist system only with its overthrow and the construction of a socialist society.”

They also called on people to attend “en masse” Wednesday’s event outside the Ledra Palace hotel, to “send out the most powerful messages of determination and struggle that we are struggling together for the reunification of our homeland and for our liberation from the shackles of the reactionary socioeconomic policies.”

Disy also issued a message to mark the day, saying, “the social liberalism which permeates our political philosophy is reflected in our deep conviction that only in conditions of economic development can the welfare state be strengthened.”

They added that they will “continue to contribute positively in this direction without dogmatic approaches.”

Promoting the event, Dev-Is chairman Koral Asam said that while times have changed since the first trade unions were founded, “the order of the oppressor and the oppressed and of exploitation continue, and we are determined to continue the worker’s fight.”

He added that “workers’ rights cannot be stable in a place where there is no stable and united Cyprus,” and therefore called for the resumption of negotiations to resolve the Cyprus problem.