▸Water is a social good. Privatization kills
To withdraw the bill now promoting the privatization of water and waste management call for a joint announcement-call to fight left-wing, radical and anti-capitalist movements in municipalities and regions. As they emphasize: “Water is not a commodity. It is the most valuable natural good for the very existence of man and all life on earth” and they call for mobilizations and struggle for public free social goods.
Everyone – everyone at the gatherings on Monday March 20: Athens 5.30 pm at Syntagma, Patras 7.00 pm pl. Georgiou and in other cities against the passing of the sweeping bill that also initiates the privatization of water.
The joint announcement in detail:
The crime in Tempe tragically highlighted the value of the public nature of social goods.
With the tragedy still fresh and with incredible cynicism, the ND government continues the line of decisive promotion of the privatization-commercialization of social goods. On March 1, the day when the people were confronted with the shocking crime in Tempe and the sacrifice of 57 people, mostly young people, on the altar of the privatization of railway transport, the government submitted to the Parliament a multi-law bill of 243 articles destructive to the environment for excessive development of RES, construction forest areas, construction in Natura areas, etc..
Among these articles, the bill includes, among others, the promotion of the privatization of water and municipal waste. It provides for the “Renaming of the Energy Regulatory Authority to the Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority” (R.A.A.E.Y.), expanding the scope of the energy regulatory authority with water and urban waste management services.
This action is the first step in a decisive process of privatization of water and waste management.
The regulatory authorities, as provided by the EU guidelines, are established and aim to regulate the markets that are freed up due to privatization. The Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) which has the responsibility for the energy market, we have all seen what its “regulatory” role brings with the unbearable “adjustment clause”, in order to ensure the privatization and “smooth” operation of the energy market .
The workers and the poor people are experiencing the exorbitant increases in electricity and natural gas in our pockets. Entrepreneurial providers, including the privatized PPC are enjoying a surge in their profitability.
But another lesser-known but tragically relevant regulatory authority also has its own role. The Railway Regulatory Authority (RAS) was established in 2010, when the OSE had been cut into pieces and it was planned to privatize the division that would give profits to the “investor” to be sold off a few years later.
The effort to pass the bill is one more piece in a puzzle of movements aimed at creating a water market. There have been previous attempts to give the External Water Supply System of Attica to private individuals, through a PPP (Private and Public Sector Partnership), the annulment by law (July 2022) of the decision of the ΦΕΤE that established public control over the water and demanded the return of the shares of EYDAP – EYATH, which had been transferred to the Superfund in 2016, back to the State.
The government under the universal reactions is trying to claim that water will not be privatized by assuring in the meeting with KEDE and DEYA that only EYDAP – EYATH will make contracts with private providers. If this is not the introduction of Water into the “market” for 60% and more of the country’s population, then what is?
Water is not a commodity. It is the most precious natural asset for the very existence of man and every life on earth. A commodity that is becoming increasingly rare in the climate crisis era of a capitalism that plunders and commodifies natural resources, leading to the nightmare situations of last summer’s climate crisis and drought around the world.
Water cannot come under the regulation of any authority accountable only to itself. The Constitution, although it has become a rag paper after 2010, does not allow Water to be found outside of public control. Even the Council of Ministers, which only in favor of popular interests and the real protection of the environment has not decided recently, with repeated decisions has put obstacles in the direct or indirect efforts of governments to privatize Water. Meanwhile, the Union of Administrative Judges declared their opposition to the bill. The unions of workers in EYDAP and EYATH denounce and warn about the effects of the privatization of water.
Water will become as expensive as electricity at a time when the economic crisis is intensifying and low wages – popular incomes are being plundered by ever-increasing precision. The management of the Water cycle is a capital issue for the health security of the country’s population. It is a capital issue for the agricultural sector and food goods. It is a major environmental issue.
Private waste management will mean even more damage to the environment, soil and local communities.
The people have tragically become more aware of what they are shouting at the grand demonstrations about crime in Tempe: Privatization kills. He cannot surrender to profiteering interests, Water, the present and the future of life, and he will not. Where Water has been privatized, like the “water code” in force in Chile since the Pinochet junta period, every drop of water has an owner, it is not a common good.
While the privatization of water in a number of countries (Britain) and large cities (Paris, Berlin, etc.) had such tragic results that in recent years, due to the uproar of the world, a tendency is being formed to return them to the public sector.
We defend the social good of Water. With massive labor-popular struggles, together with the residents in every corner of the place, the farmers, the workers of the water supply companies and the DEWA. We protect the environment against market predators who want to get their hands on waste management.
We require:
Immediate withdrawal of the unacceptable bill. Private companies out of the Water and waste cycle.
Only in the public sector the whole cycle of water and urban waste management to serve the people’s needs, with environmental protection and with social-labor control.
Real financial support for the DEYAs who have accumulated debts of more than 120 million euros due to the exorbitant energy costs. Abolition of VAT – price reduction on household only invoices.
No increase in the price of water, a drastic reduction in tariffs, no water cut-off in ordinary households.
Against the logic of private capitalist profit, we project the need for public social benefit.
Regional movements
North Macedonia – Thrace: Leftist Anti-Capitalist Intervention-Mutiny in A.M.Th.
Attica: Anti-Capitalist Upheaval in Attica – Mutiny against the government – E.E. – N.N.T.
North Aegean: Mutiny in the Aegean-Anti-Capitalist Left
Western Greece: Left Intervention-Anti-Capitalist Movement in Western Greece
Epirus: Left Intervention in Epirus
Thessaly: Left Intervention in Thessaly – Mutiny for the Overthrow
Ionia: Anti-Capitalist Left in Ionia
Central Macedonia: Rebellion – Anti-Capitalist Left in Central Macedonia
Crete: Unsubdued Crete – Anti-Capitalist Left Intervention
Peloponnese: Mutiny in Moria – Accompanying for the overthrow
Solid: Left Intervention in Solid
Movements in municipalities
St. Anargyron-Kamaterou: Disobedient City – Anti-Capitalist Intervention in the neighborhoods of Ag. Anargyron-Kamaterou
Agrinio : Unruly Agrinio
Athens: Anti-Capitalist Upheaval in Athens – Rebellion against government-EU-capital
Ampelokipi-Menemeni: Disobedience in the neighborhoods of Ampelokipi and Menemeni
Byron: Byron Citizens’ Left Intervention
Glyfada: Left Initiative of Glyfada
Dafni-Ymittos: Dafni-Ymittos Fighting Left Overturning Force (M.ARI.D.A.)
Elliniko – Argyroupoli: Off the Plan – Anti-Capitalist Movement of Elliniko – Argyroupoli
Ilioupoli: Fighting Ilioupoli-Left Subversive Movement
Heraklion: Red Rift – Heraklion Attica
Heat: Rupture and Upheaval Front
Ioannina: Left Intervention in Ioannina
Caesariani: Insubordinate Caesarian-Leftist Anti-Capitalist Movement
Kallithea: Left Subversive Municipal Movement of Kallithea “A City on the Road”
Neapolis-Sykeon: Polis Alios
Nea Ionia: Unplanned Left Radical Movement in Nea Ionia
Patras: Anti-Capitalist Overthrow in Patras – Rebellion against government-EU-capital
Pigeon: Left Pigeon Movement
Preveza: Disobedient Movement for the villages and the city of Preveza
The collection of signatures continues
Struggle Assembly: New strike, water demonstration, interventions on March 25