Commemoration of the 1956 Revolution

Created: 27th October, 2007 18:23 | Last updated: 8th November, 2007 22:08	print	send

Mária Wittner, MP of Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union since 2006, imprisoned by the communist regime for having actively taken part in the 1956 revolution, István Tarlós, the leader of the "Social Referendum 2008", László Tőkés from Transylvania, bishop of the reformed church and independent candidate for the European Parliamentary elections to be held this November in Romania and Viktor Orbán, former PM were the speakers of the mass commemoration of Fidesz on 23, October 2007. A year after the brutal police attacks had taken place, a 100,000-strong crowd showed up despite the rainy weather to pay tribute to the uprising that took place 51 years ago.

In his speech, Mr Orbán spoke of the glory of the 1956 revolution which "gave back their self esteem to Hungarians, ushering in a new era all across Europe and causing severe damage to the Eastern Colossus that had planned to take over the West".

Speaking 51 years after the uprising, the chairman of Fidesz called the events "a revolution against the East". He then continued that "right from the moment of its foundation, Hungary has always been a Western country which had never wished to belong to the East. The very reason our ancestors have come here was because we did not want to stay there", he said, referring to the historical moment when in 896 AD the Hungarians chose to leave the East where they had previously been settled and arrived in the Carpathian basin.

"We have been ostracized from the West by unfortunate and unjust pacts between the superpowers. Our Western culture was thus encroached by the East, ruining and infecting Hungary. A Western people caught in the Eastern quagmire: this is the tragedy of the 20th century history of our country, brought on us by communism", said Mr Orbán, who then referred to the continuous election frauds, the deceitful myth of Soviet liberation of Hungary and the perverted propaganda of the decline of the West and the empowerment of the working class.

"Eastern politics do not tolerate freedom, independence and sovereignty. Eastern politics eliminate everything that protects an individual's life. It deprives everyone of his wealth, impoverishes, leaves the people defenseless and if needed, terrorizes them. It renders everyone dependent of the central power."

Mr Orbán declared that ever since the East has entered Hungary, freedom loving people of our kind have wanted but one thing: to get the occupiers out. "We have always wished to reclaim and reestablish a free Hungary, to get out of the Soviet dependence and to recreate all that is needed to guarantee freedom for our lives: decent jobs, private property, free entrepreneurship and the rule of law. This, we have always striven for."

The chairman of Fidesz emphasized that the Hungarian people have always wanted to live under democratic conditions, based on the Western values of Christian culture, liberty, equality and solidarity.

The former PM referred to the former Soviet Empire that had crushed the 1956 revolution as yesterday's victor, now "belonging to the past", but then added that "although the Soviet Empire has disappeared, it has not vanished entirely. A renovated, vigorous Eastern power arises in its place. It is getting stronger every day by expanding and by supporting its former aficionados from Ukraine throughout Central Europe all the way to the Balkans."

Mr Orbán stated that the world would soon come to understand that the real challenge it faced was represented by "the more and more powerful forces of the Eastern order whose presence we can already feel".

Referring to last year's events, the chairman of Fidesz repeated that everyone, including the policemen who attacked innocent people and the politicians who did nothing to stop it, must be held responsible.

Speaking of the referendum he had announced exactly a year ago, Mr Orbán called it an historic chance to unite Hungary, to create a partnership between the middle class and the poor in order to halt the incumbent socialist-liberal government's policies. This was, as the former PM declared, the only peaceful way to restore democracy.

"Violence breeds more violence, and this we cannot accept. All forms of the evil that impede Hungary: the lies, the thievery, the corruption, have been uncovered; therefore no more of these would make the current government any stronger. Hungary has come to a point where immorality can only feed on violence. As a consequence, anyone who chooses violence, will, one way or another, help strengthen their [the government's] position. In order to deny any support for the evil cause, we have to reject any form of violence", continued Mr Orbán, ending his speech by calling everyone never to give up, just like the martyrs of the 1956 revolution had never done so.