The 26th Congress of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Syria is underway in Damascus. WFTU Deputy General Secretary, Valentin Pacho addressed the Congress with the following speech:

“I have the special mission to transmit the feelings of solidarity and warm greetings of the 90 million members from the 5 continents belonging to the World Federation of Trade Unions to the historic twenty sixth Congress of GFTU Syria and wish you success. Your discussions and resolutions will contribute to making stronger the working class of Syria in the international anti imperialist trade union movement.

We respect the comrades for holding this twenty sixth Congress of GFTU, it is a victory of the working class and the people of Syria, it is the class oriented answer to the imperialist aggression promoted by the United States government and its accomplice governments of the European Union, who fund mercenaries in order to attack Syria.

The dire consequences of the deepening of the crisis of the capitalist system are felt by the workers and the peoples of the world, while the crisis in the United States and the European Union the only benefited are the multinational, finance and arms industry corporations. The conservative and social democratic governments are once more proven to be faithful servers of the big capital.

For this, imperialism in its desperation is more aggressive, as a last resort is using wars and aggressions against sovereign nations. But it will not be able to defeat the peoples, Syria is giving an example of dignity and resistance. And Syria will win! Because Syria is not alone, the solidarity with progressive forces of the World and the World Federation of Trade Unions are with Syria.

Dear comrades, the WFTU this year completes 70 years from its establishment on October third. It’s history of struggles has been consequent for the rights of the working class and has maintained on a very high level the principles of class solidarity. In this context, the solidarity with the brothers workers and peoples of the Arab region.

So, we support the exit of the military forces of Israel of the occupied Arab territories, the immediate retirement from the Golan Heights. Our solidarity with the peoples of Palestine, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and other peoples fighting against imperialist aggressions.

Comrades, have faith in victory. The empires, as powerful they may seem, are not eternal. The Roman Empire fell. The people of Vietnam have already shown that imperialism is NOT invincible. Today, the Cuban revolution has made the Obama government move back. So, Syria will win.

Long Live the twenty sixth congress of GFTU Syria.

Long Live Syria – Long live internationalism and solidarity.”