Statement made by a representative of the September 23 Movement at an international anti-imperialist conference organized by the Partito dei CARC. Rome, September 27, 2025.
Comrades,
It is a great honor for us to speak here today and to address you, the comrades of Italy and all international guests present at this important event. We bring you warm and fraternal greetings from our country and our organization.
We remember with deep respect the Italian revolutionaries who fought not only for their own liberation but also for the cause of oppressed peoples everywhere. We honor the memory of those who stood against fascism during the Second World War, who gave their lives so that Europe could be free from the terror of the Nazi war machine.
We meet here in a moment of grave challenges and escalating struggles. Across the world, the imperialist system tightens its grip on nations and peoples. War, exploitation, and economic domination are the weapons used by the ruling classes and their institutions. The global capitalist order seeks to divide us, to crush resistance, and to turn nations into colonies serving the interests of the most powerful monopolies and imperialist states.
Today, as we confront new and aggressive forms of imperialism, we draw profound strength from this shared history of sacrifice and resistance. Just as the partisans once fought shoulder to shoulder against the monstrous forces of fascism, so now we must unite with the same determination and discipline to oppose and ultimately dismantle the imperialist structures of NATO and the European Union.
The Common Struggle Against Imperialism
Imperialism affects the daily lives of millions, manifesting itself through wars and acts of aggression, economic subjugation of entire nations, and the relentless exploitation and destruction of our environment and social systems in the pursuit of profit. We see its brutal reality today in places like Palestine, where entire populations face occupation, oppression, and violence supported by imperialist powers.
NATO is not a defensive alliance, as its leaders claim. It is an aggressive military bloc, serving as the armed fist of U.S. imperialism and its European allies. Far from protecting peace, it actively plans and conducts wars across the globe. From the bombing of Yugoslavia and the destruction of Libya, to the ongoing militarization of Eastern Europe and constant interventions in the Middle East, NATO has repeatedly shown its true face as an instrument of domination and oppression. Its purpose has always been to protect and expand the interests of the most powerful capitalist states, suppressing any independent path of development chosen by sovereign nations. In this process, the presence of numerous American military bases on the territories of member states, including Bulgaria and Italy, serves as a permanent reminder of foreign control and domination. In doing so, it fuels global instability, escalates conflicts, and drains the resources of member states, forcing them to prioritize war budgets over the well-being of their own people. NATO’s very existence perpetuates a cycle of militarism and fear that benefits only the ruling elites while threatening the future of humanity.
For Bulgaria, membership in NATO has meant a profound loss of sovereignty over both our military and foreign policy. Our territory is not merely a participant in the alliance but has been turned into a platform for foreign military bases, including extensive American installations, symbolizing direct external control. These bases threaten our security rather than protect it, making Bulgaria a potential target in conflicts we did not choose. Our soldiers are sent to fight and die in wars that have nothing to do with the interests of the Bulgarian people, often serving the agendas of imperialist powers. We are forced to participate in escalating tensions and conflicts, including the current dangerous situation in Eastern Europe, while our people’s resources are diverted from social needs to the machinery of war.
The European Union is presented as a union of peace and prosperity. In reality, it functions as a mechanism of economic domination by the strongest capitalist countries over the weaker ones, often working hand in hand with U.S. imperialism to extend its reach into every corner of Europe. It dictates economic policies, enforces austerity measures, dismantles and sells off national industries, and turns member states into captive markets for foreign goods and sources of cheap labor. Moreover, it strips nations of their political and economic sovereignty, forcing them to comply with directives that benefit only the most powerful monopolies and financial institutions, as well as the strategic interests of the United States, all at the expense of working people.
The EU is not a project of solidarity between peoples. It is a project of the capitalist class, designed to serve the interests of the richest nations and their monopolies. The so-called “European integration” has led to mass migration out of Bulgaria as young people, facing unemployment and lack of opportunities, are forced to leave their homeland in search of work. At the same time, our local industries are systematically dismantled, our agriculture is destroyed, and entire sectors of our economy are sacrificed to fit the plans and profit motives of Western monopolies, leaving Bulgaria dependent and vulnerable.
Thus, the struggle against NATO and the EU is not just a matter of political preference or ideology. It is rooted in the class struggle itself, as these institutions serve the interests of the capitalist elites by exploiting workers and suppressing their rights. For the working class, opposing NATO and the EU means fighting against war, austerity, and the destruction of social protections. It is an urgent and existential battle for the survival, independence, and dignity of our peoples, and a necessary step toward building a future where workers hold power and society is organized around their needs rather than the profits of the few.
Today, the world is changing. The once unchallenged power of the United States is showing signs of decline, and new centers of resistance and alternative economic and political alliances are emerging. This shift creates openings for revolutionary movements and the working class to advance their struggles. It is in these moments of imperialist weakness that bold and organized forces can push forward decisive transformations, bringing closer the possibility of profound revolutionary change in the near future.
The Bulgarian Experience: Resistance to Eurozone Membership
In Bulgaria today, one of the key and most urgent battles of the working class and progressive forces is the fight against the introduction of the euro as the official currency, a fight seen as part of the broader struggle against imperialist domination.
The ruling class and their allies in Brussels present this as a natural step in “European integration.” They claim it will bring stability and prosperity. But we know the truth. The introduction of the euro is another tool of domination by the European Central Bank and the most powerful economies of the EU.
What would euro adoption mean for Bulgaria? It would mean the complete loss of monetary sovereignty. Decisions about our economy would no longer be made in Sofia, by our own institutions, but in Frankfurt, serving the interests of German and French capital.
Prices would rise dramatically, as we have seen happen in other countries that adopted the euro. Wages, already among the lowest in the EU, would not rise to match these costs. The result would be increased poverty and desperation for ordinary people.
Most importantly, it would lock Bulgaria permanently into a system of economic dependence, where decisions about the lives of workers and the future of our nation would be dictated by foreign powers and capitalist elites. This is especially dangerous because the Bulgarian people overwhelmingly reject the aggressive plans of the West for war against Russia and do not wish to see their country dragged into imperialist military adventures. Once inside the eurozone, there would be no turning back, and the chains of economic domination would be sealed tightly around our country.
This is why our organization has been at the forefront of the struggle to keep the Bulgarian lev, Bulgaria’s national currency. This is not simply a question of economics; it is a matter of struggle for the last remains of national sovereignty, dignity, and the defense of the working class against the domination of foreign capital. The fight against the euro is therefore inseparable from the broader fight against EU imperialism and capitalist exploitation.
In recent months, we have participated in protests, educational campaigns, and mass actions to raise awareness of what is at stake. These mobilizations are growing across the country to speak out against the euro and against imperialist policies. The government, acting as a mere servant of Brussels and foreign capital, has tried to silence us with propaganda and repression. But the resistance grows. Many ordinary Bulgarians now see clearly that these policies are not in their interest and threaten their future. This struggle is important not only for Bulgaria — it is an example for all peoples resisting EU domination and capitalist exploitation.
Conclusion
Our struggle is not only about resisting imperialist institutions like NATO and the EU, but also about building a new vision for our future. This vision is rooted in solidarity among peoples, in the leadership of the working class, and in the creation of societies that serve human needs instead of corporate profit.
To achieve this, we must continue strengthening our organizations, uniting diverse movements into broad popular fronts, and coordinating our efforts internationally. Only through collective
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