The Modern Era, continuing the publication of documents that contribute to the study of the history of the KKE, publishes the minutes of the 7th Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the KKE from 1957. The 7th Plenary Session was essentially a continuation of the 6th Plenary Session of 1956 and a significant step in the right opportunistic turn of the KKE under the influence of the 20th Congress of the CPSU.

The 7th Plenary Session expelled Nikos Zachariadis from the Central Committee of the KKE and also expelled him from the Party (he had previously been removed as General Secretary of the Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau by the 6th Plenary Session of 1956). The initial proposal suggested his removal from the Central Committee and a warning of expulsion, as well as his exclusion from any party work. However, the Central Committee Office later changed the proposal and suggested his expulsion.

Additionally, the 7th Plenary Session decided that a committee would investigate the charge against him of being an agent of the enemy. The subsequent party bodies, even the report of the EKE approved by the 11th Plenary Session of the Central Committee in 1967, did not categorically absolve N. Zachariadis from the charge of being an agent.

The expulsion of N. Zachariadis was voted in favor by the regular members of the Central Committee, except for N. Zachariadis who did not participate in the vote and D. Vladas who submitted a written statement. The alternate members voted in favor with a written explanation from Thodoris Makridis. Among the members of the KEE, Miltiadis Porfyrogenis and Polydoros Daniilidis did not vote for expulsion, but for removal and a warning of expulsion.

The 7th Plenary Session proceeded with the removal from the Central Committee of Dimitris Vladas, Giorgis Vontitsios (Gousias), and Vasilis Bartziotas (who had been expelled from the Political Bureau in the 6th Plenary Session), while reinstating Markos Vafeiadis and Vasilis Zahos as members of the Central Committee.

This publication is a document that is being published for the first time and contains the entire material of the corresponding publication from February 1957 titled: "The 7th Broad Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the KKE, February 18-24, 1957 - For internal party use only." The original is located in the "Archive of the Central Committee of the KKE."