Legend has it that the Soviet emergency number was 56-68. This anecdote from Budapest in the ’80s shows us how much Central and Eastern Europeans were and still are in one bond. Together, we fought against Soviet repression and dictatorship. Because neither the Czechs in ‘68, nor the Hungarians in ‘56 wanted to live in a country where others told us how to live our lives. And that is something we must work for today, as well: this is the message of the Prague Spring. We can never stop fighting for the basic democratic values. Although the Prague Spring was crushed by the army, 1968 gave birth to a new political consciousness. Thus, I fully agree with Alexander Dubcek’s words: You can crush the flowers, but you can’t stop the Spring. We, the Hungarian Greens express our respect for those heroes who, for the sake of their lives, stood up in Prague on this day, 50 years ago.
Bernadett Szél is co-president of the Hungarian Green party LMP, leader if its parliamentary group and also member of the Internal security committee of the Hungarian Parliament. She is 41 years old and mother of two children.
