The Executive Board of the Party of the European Left (EL) met this weekend (19.-21.4) in Sofia, Bulgaria. Topics on the agenda were an analysis of the political situation in Europe, the preparation of the EL- Summer University, which will take place in Porto, Portugal, beginning of July, as well as continuing the work towards the IV Congress of the Party to be held mid-December in Madrid, Spain.
Moreover, next events were discussed, such as the Alter Summit, taking place from 7- 8 of June in Athens. This meeting will be of great importance for the unity of social movements, trade unions and anti-neoliberal political parties to develop common strategies and fight back together the austerity policy of troika which is implemented and hurting people throughout Europe.

Recent developments in the EU have been discussed, especially the causes and consequences of the economic and political crisis in Cyprus and Italy. Furthermore, the members of the Executive Board talked about the EU budget for 2014-2020, which goes just in the opposite direction, with a cut of 3%, of what European societies need in order to solve the crisis.

The meeting of the EL was held In Bulgaria, the poorest country of Europe with 49% of the population living in poverty and with a minimal wage of 158 Euros per month.  A couple of months ago, the people of Bulgaria rose up against the austerity measures implemented by their government. They achieved the resignation of the Bulgarian government. The next elections will be held on 12 of May. The European Left  approved a motion supporting unconditionally the Bulgarian Left Party, in the same way as they express they will do it in Moldavia in the upcoming elections. The meeting ended with a special event of “for a solidary Bulgari in a solidary Europe”.

On the occasion of the meeting of the Executive Board, the ambassadors of two Latin American countries have been invited:Venezuela and Cuba. These countries are suffering from a hard attack by the imperialist powers. The ambassador of Venezuela explained that they are threatened by a coup d'état and that they will carry on working hard to avoid the imposition of a military dictatorship in the country by oligarchs with the support of the United States. In this context, he stated how essential the solidarity of other countries is in these times. The President of the Party of the European Left, Pierre Laurent, answered him with all the support of the European Left Party which was reinforced with a motion backing the Venezuelan revolution.The ambassador of Cuba in Bulgaria was grateful for the EL position about Cuba, which was laid down in another motion of full support for the Cuban revolution and the left processes in Latin America, “insisting on putting an end to the uncivilized more than half a century blockade against Cuba”, rejecting the called “common position” of EU against Cuba and urging Barack Obama to release the “five heroes from Cuba”.

Sofia, Bulgaria,
21.04.2013
Please find the adopted motions here