Ivan Ivanov | September 23 Movement (Bulgaria)
Dear comrades,
It is obvious we are living through pivotal times in the history of humanity. The countries of the old imperialist core are in economic, demographic and cultural decline. At the same time, progressive and anti-imperialist forces are strengthening and consolidating. However, as in other periods of history, the imperialists are quite ready to torch the planet by causing a global armed conflict, instead of coming to terms with the decline of their influence and giving ground to progressive and anti-imperialist forces.
Ukraine and Palestine are but the two sparks from which World War III is set to erupt if imperialists have their way. We are witnessing how every day the Zionist entity carries out more and more heinous crimes against the Palestinian people and more and more audacious provocations against neighboring countries (Lebanon in particular, but also Iran and Syria), with the aim of initiating a regional conflict, which in turn will drag along the whole imperialist core. Taiwan and the Korean peninsula appear to be the next targets of imperialist provocation, should their efforts to reverse the course of history elsewhere fail.
At the same time, we are witnessing how the cooperation between the countries who oppose the imperialist core is reaching a whole new level. The Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have signed an unprecedented security agreement; Russia and Iran are cooperating in the sphere of security more openly than ever; more and more countries are joining or are opting to join BRICS in the future, in which they see a more equitable and just alternative than the Western-dominated international organizations. It is in this situation, that, we, the representatives of the progressive and anti-imperialist forces of the world, should do our utmost to support the struggle of anti-imperialist governments and oppressed nations and at the same time constantly refute the erroneous theories of “inter-imperialist struggle”, which are trying to subvert the progressive movements of the globe.
However, we should not be mere idle observers of the abovementioned processes, but we should also work hard to create the ground within the working peoples of our respective countries, which will serve as the base for social transformation when geopolitical shifts precipitate such change. The working peoples of every country should be conscious that their fate is in their own hands and that it is up to them to create a new world without exploitation, poverty and misery, by the strength of their organization, the power of their local base, and by their solidarity with the struggle of the oppressed nations of the planet.
At this critical juncture, more and more attention has been focused on the divides in the Western ruling class, exemplified by the presidential campaign in the United States. Besides the obvious degeneration of the level of debate and political ability on both sides, we are witnessing a hoax, which aims to present competing visions for USA’s role in the international arena. Nothing can be further from the truth. Both candidates have made it clear that they will pursue an anti-China policy and one of unwavering support for the Zionist entity. Their only race on the latter point is who will be the most loyal supporter of the genocidal regime. No matter who wins, the USA will continue to treat South and Central America as its own backyard, will continue to cause destruction and poverty through its puppet regimes in the region and will continue to oppress and dehumanize the people who are trying to escape the living hell, caused by the US in the first place.
We should always remember that while some Republicans criticize the support of the West to Ukraine, and Donald Trump himself vows to end the conflict if elected, he is a no smaller enemy of anti-imperialist forces worldwide. It is obvious that for him, and for the elites who stand behind him, the freezing of the conflict in Ukraine is a mere tactical maneuver, which will allow the US to concentrate its resources in the struggle against China. He will also be a tougher supporter of imperialist proxies in Latin America, North Africa and West Asia, among other places. We shouldn’t forget that the popular movement that supports Trump is not isolationist, as it is sometimes portrayed by its Democratic rivals. It is unilateralist, militarist and holds a “clash of civilizations” view of the world, which is explicitly racialized. Again, the working people of the world should realize that no progressive change can be expected from any of the mainstream political forces of the imperialist core. Their only allies are their Marxist-Leninist ideas, their organization and the solidarity between the oppressed peoples of the world.
It is appropriate here to say a few words about the situation in our country―Bulgaria. The political crisis, that was precipitated by the anti-corruption protests of 2020 continues, with the seventh general election in a short span of time scheduled for this autumn. A number of the mainstream parties are splitting or disintegrating and that, combined with their record in office and the whole atmosphere of degenerated political debate, has caused more and more people to refuse to participate in the political life of the country. Voter turnout is low and will probably continue to decline. The new elections are unlikely to produce a stable government.
Although it could be argued that the absence of a stable government is beneficial for progressive forces as the state cannot consolidate enough to suppress dissent, and it cannot mobilize itself to be in full service of imperialism vis-a-vis Ukraine, that is not exactly the case. We see that even under caretaker governments, who have ruled the country for more than a year, and in total most of the time since 2020, only hawkish figures are given the posts of foreign and defense ministers. The unwavering diplomatic support for Ukraine has been the norm throughout the internal political crisis.
More ominously, voices for changing the political system―either to a presidential republic or by introducing the so called “Greek model” (which gives automatic majority to the first political party regardless of it being short of 50% of the vote), are getting stronger. Such possible consolidation of the political regime will result in nothing less than a corrupt and autocratic plutocracy, which will act to suppress any progressive movements and serve the interests of the imperialist core.
It should also be noted, that even though the political crisis is continuing and no stable government can be formed, the ideological and cultural onslaught of the current ruling elites against socialist ideas is continuing unabated. Anti-communism continues to be sole doctrine of these corrupt elites, and is being poured daily into school textbooks, popular culture and art. Monuments from the socialist era are being torn down and everything about Bulgaria’s socialist past is being demonized.
It is worth noting at this occasion, that it was exactly in the socialist period that the People’s Republic of Bulgaria was at the forefront of the imperialist struggle in Africa. During the Cold War, Bulgaria gave economic and political support to anti-imperialist and national liberation movements in Algeria, Libya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique, among other places. People of the older generation still hold dear the memories of the close cultural and academic bonds between the people of our country and representatives of progressive movements in Africa. Needless to say, the current Bulgarian elite has neglected these ties and if anything, is acting as a servant of imperialism wherever it is needed by its imperialist masters.
Thus, it falls on our shoulders, we―Bulgarian Marxist-Leninists, to reverse all the abovementioned trends and stand in solidarity with the anti-imperialist forces of the world, continue building the base for social revolution among the proletariat of our country and ultimately―to reverse and mend the effects of the capitalist restoration, thus bringing Bulgaria back into the family of progressive governments, which serves the cause of anti-imperialism and national and social liberation. This, we believe, reflects the deep-seated affinities and aspirations of the Bulgarian people.
