The national flag of Hungary was hoisted with military honors in front of Parliament on Sunday morning, in a state commemoration marking the anniversary of the anti-Soviet revolt which started on October 23, 1956.
The ceremony was attended by President Katalin Novák, representatives of military and state organizations, as well as members of the public. In October 1956, a revolution began in Hungary, starting with a peaceful demonstration and continuing with an armed uprising, against the communist dictatorship and the Soviet occupation. Parliament declared October 23 an official national holiday in 1991. The dedication of Hungarians to freedom and sovereignty is not new-fangled, the group leader of the junior ruling Christian Democrats said on Sunday, marking the 66th anniversary of the revolution. “Fighting for this has been part of our history, and this was the case in October 1956, too,” István Simicskó said in a statement. “We are continuing that fight today,” Simicskó said, adding that “expectations and interventions conflict with Hungarian interests … always from a different direction”. Hungarians had to band together in the middle of the 20th century against Soviet tanks and Hungarian communists, whereas “today sanctions enforced upon us by Brussels are threatening Hungarian families and the future of Hungarians”. “We cannot allow others to tell us what the future of Hungary should be this time round either,” he said. “We must look with respect to the heroes of 1956 who acted … with courage and their love for freedom,” he added.