Austrian politicians, Hungarian minister mark 1956 anniversary of Soviet reprisal

Andau, Austria (MTI) – Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern and Hungarian Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog jointly commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Soviet reprisal of Hungary’s uprising in 1956, in the Austrian border town of Andau (Mosontarcsa) on Friday, marking Hungary’s national day of mourning.

It was on November 4, 1956 that the Soviet military launched an invasion to quell the revolution, triggering armed resistance by freedom fighters.

“It is important for Hungary to have good allies, and building an alliance starts at the neighbours,” Balog told MTI.

The minister expressed thanks to Austria and the Austrian people for taking in “Hungarians seeking freedom” and helping Hungarian refugees begin a new life. Balog also thanked Austria for the possibility of holding a joint commemoration.

Balog said that migration poses a danger to Europe as a whole, and stressed the need to guarantee security and protect law and order in the European countries. As an expression of solidarity, however, the European nations should make everything in their power so that the migrants should live in peace and security in their countries of origin, he said.

The minister noted that the Hungarian refugees had cooperated with the authorities of the countries that granted them safe haven, got involved in performing common tasks, paid taxes and had not established parallel societies.

Addressing the commemoration, Kern said the refugee situation after Hungary’s 1956 revolution and the current migrant situation could not be fully compared.

“The situation we are facing today is not that people have risen up in a neighbouring state, but that 60 million people are on their way as refugees in the world which poses the greatest challenge of our times,” he said.

“It is our duty to provide protection to these people,” he added.

Heinz Fischer, former president of Austria, said that Hungary’s 1956 revolution would always stay recorded in world history.

Hans Niessl, the governor of Burgenland, commemorated the 80,000 Hungarians who had crossed to Austria across the Andau bridge.

The Austrian politicians and the Hungarian minister laid wreaths at the bridge in the afternoon.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI