The trip to Cuba of the Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Dmitry Novikov is coming to an end. First of all, he took part in the conference “For Balance in the World”, dedicated to the memory of José Martí. During his further stay in Havana, D.G. Novikov spoke at the International Parliamentary Forum
“With all and for the benefit of all” – this was one of the main slogans of the Parliamentary Forum, which brought together guests from different countries of the world in Havana. The host party was the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba, headed by its chairman Esteban Laso.
Dmitry Novikov took part in the work of the forum and spoke at its plenary session. The official website of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation distributed the text of this speech.
– Dear participants of the Parliamentary Forum!
Dear comrade Esteban Laso!
First of all, let me greet you on behalf of the Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav Volodin and on behalf of the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov. Both Russian parliamentarians and, of course, Russian communists wish great success to all participants of the International Parliamentary Forum!
Dear comrades, today is January 31. 80 years ago, on January 31, 1945, by order of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Joseph Stalin, a salute of 224 artillery guns was fired in Moscow. It was a salute in honor of the capture of the German cities of Heilsberg and Friedland. In just one day, Soviet soldiers drove the Nazis out of more than 200 settlements in Germany. The Red Army approached Frankfurt an der Oder and reached the outskirts of Königsberg, now the Russian city of Kaliningrad.
On the same day, January 31, 1945, advancing through Poland, Soviet troops liberated more than 100 settlements. In Budapest, during the fighting on the streets of the city, units of the Red Army captured more than 8 thousand enemy soldiers and officers. Thus, Soviet soldiers continued their decisive offensive against the armies of Adolf Hitler. The Red Army liberated Europe from fascism.
Dear forum participants! In three months, on May 9 of this year, it will be 80 years since the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. This will be the 80th anniversary of the Victory of anti-fascists from all over the world over the evil monster of Nazism. On the eve of this date, celebrating the 155th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Lenin, the Communist Party of Russia will hold the II International Anti-Fascist Forum in Moscow. We invite you to take part in it.
The Soviet people and all of humanity paid a huge price for liberation from Hitler’s fascism and Japanese militarism. It is our sacred duty to always remember the heroes of the anti-fascist struggle. These are the soldiers and officers of the Red Army, the soldiers of the countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, the fighters of the People’s Liberation Army of China, the representatives of the French and Italian Resistance, the participants of the German anti-fascist underground, the Yugoslav and Korean partisans, the Polish and Czechoslovak patriots.
During the difficult years of the Second World War, a great fighting alliance of opponents of fascist barbarity was formed. It was an alliance of fighters against tyranny – an alliance of communists, patriots and true democrats. It was a great alliance of defenders of peace throughout the world, opponents of oppression, supporters of social justice. That outstanding anti-fascist alliance was created despite social and ideological differences, despite differences in political and religious views.
It is important to understand why that great anti-fascist union became possible. It was formed because by that time the workers of different countries and the peoples of the world had already accumulated colossal experience in the struggle for freedom and justice.
The European proletarians, who raised high the red banner of Marxism, had accumulated great experience in the struggle.
The Russian workers and peasants, who, led by Lenin, carried out the Great October Socialist Revolution, had acquired great experience.
The peoples of Asia, who had already entered into a fight with colonialism, multiplied their experience in the struggle for national independence.
The peoples of Latin America also expanded their experience in the struggle for liberation. Many names confidently sounded in the ranks of its heroes. These were Simon Bolivar, Francisco Miranda, Augusto Sandino, Luis Prestes and many, many others. One of the most brilliant names in this series is Jose Marti.
This year, here in Havana, representatives of the State Duma and the Public Chamber of Russia, as well as representatives of a number of scientific centers of our country, participated in the conference dedicated to Marti. We all listened to the speeches with great interest and shared our own opinions.
I would like to inform you that representatives of five parties work in the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The most influential opposition force is the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, which I have the honor to represent. But today I have the moral and political right to greet you on behalf of the entire Russian parliament. Both its chambers – the State Duma and the Federation Council – unanimously vote for resolutions demanding an end to the blockade of Cuba withUS parties.
Over the past year, we have adopted two special documents in this regard. First, this is a statement on the need to remove Cuba from the US State Department’s list of countries that sponsor terrorism. Second, this is an appeal to the UN and world parliaments on the need to end the blockade of Cuba by the United States.
Of course, the imperialists will never be satiated. They are never satisfied. We in Russia have experienced this ourselves. It was not enough for the West to tear my beloved Motherland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, apart. Even after that, they did not calm down. They did not stop. They acted to draw three former Soviet Baltic republics – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – into the European Union, and then into the NATO military bloc.
The imperialists of the West acted. They did everything to ensure that hotbeds of conflict flared up in the Caucasus. I am also talking about the South Caucasus, where Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are located. I am also talking about the North Caucasus, where the multinational republics of the Russian Federation are located.
The imperialists acted to organize a coup d’état in Belarus and overthrow President Alexander Lukashenko. They did it according to the same scheme by which they tried to overthrow Nicolas Maduro. In Venezuela, they tried to declare Guaido president, in Belarus – Tikhanovskaya. Everything was done as if from a carbon copy. But they failed!
These days here in Havana, at the conference dedicated to Jose Marti, very important ideas were voiced about the importance of historical consciousness. Indeed, it is historical consciousness that helps peoples overcome any pressure and blackmail, any threats and sanctions.
We in Russia know very well what sanctions are. Our country has already experienced sanctions, and more than once. After the Great October Socialist Revolution, Soviet Russia, led by V.I. Lenin, withstood foreign intervention and the most severe sanctions.
When we talk about the fight against Hitler’s fascism, it is enough to remember just one example – the example of the siege of Leningrad. For the residents of the city, this was a time when hunger was the most terrible weapon. Hunger was more terrible than artillery shelling. Hunger was more terrible than air raids and bombs. One of the largest cities in the world then found itself in the position of a huge concentration camp. The entire city – in the position of Auschwitz and Majdanek, Buchenwald and Sobibor.
This was a historical moment when the price of human life – life or death – was a few grams of bread. If you remember this, then it will be clear to you that for great Russia today’s thousands of sanctions from the West are far from the worst thing. This is not the worst thing that can happen when you challenge the imperialists and colonialists.
The US and EU authorities considered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech at the Munich Security Conference in 2007 to be nothing less than a challenge. What did Putin say in Munich? He said that Russia seeks to guarantee its sovereignty. And he also said that Moscow advocates a multipolar world… But isn’t that natural? Isn’t that normal? Is that a strange way to put the question? And yet, it was enough for the West to consider Vladimir Putin its enemy.
The imperialists of the West should know that their hostility cannot frighten our people. Russia has many friends. Together with China, India and other countries, Russia forms BRICS. Russia has many friends in America, Asia, Africa, and even in Europe.
Mr. Biden, we will cope with your sanctions.
Mrs. Harris, we will cope with your sanctions.
Mr. Trump, we will cope with your sanctions.
Gentlemen imperialists, we will cope with all your sanctions!
But think about it: will you cope, declaring so many sanctions? Will you cope, making entire nations your adversaries? Will you cope with the role of colonialists after these nations have thrown off colonial oppression and are ready to defend their freedom!
Gentlemen imperialists, think about this! Evaluate carefully whether you will cope with nations that have the experience of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, Ernst Thalmann and Georgi Dimitrov, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara, Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chavez.
We will not have many hours and many conferences to list the names of all our heroes. Where are your heroes, gentlemen imperialists? Who are your heroes? Harry Truman? Ronald Reagan? Margaret Thatcher? Maybe your hero is Joe Biden?
My friends, if these are heroes, then heroism does not exist… But we know for sure that it – heroism – does exist!
Without heroes, there would have been no Paris Commune.
Without heroes, there would have been no Great October Socialist Revolution.
Without heroes, there would have been no Victory over fascism in May 1945.
Without heroes, there would have been no Cuban Revolution.
Without heroes, the majority of humanity would still exist as colonies today.
Of course, heroes exist! You and I know this for sure. We have concrete evidence. And we know for sure that it is impossible to be a hero while defending oppression,