Jobbik wants Soviet monument removed from Budapest’s Liberty Square
Opposition Jobbik on Monday said it is submitting to parliament a draft resolution aimed at removing the Soviet Red Army monument from Budapest’s Liberty Square.
With the approach of the Oct. 23 national holiday marking Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, “Russia’s war in Ukraine and its gas blackmail of Europe”, it is worth raising the question of what the monument is doing in a square named after liberty, Jobbik parliamentary group leader László György Lukács told a press conference.
The monument, he said, “offends all of our sense of justice and makes a mockery of the memory of 1956 and Hungarians’ sense of freedom”.
Lukács said that contrary to public opinion, there was nothing stopping Hungary from removing the monument from the square, arguing that there were no longer any Soviet soldiers buried in the country. He said the decision on where the monument should be moved to should be left up to historians.
He asked “parties that consider themselves right-wing”, such as the ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance and opposition Mi Hazánk, to support his party’s draft resolution.
“This is the chance for everyone to show from where they are or aren’t being dictated conditions and that for us Hungarian self-determination and independence is the most important argument and goal,”
Lukács said.
Read alsoEverything you need to know about the Soviet Monument on Budapest’s Freedom Square — PHOTOS
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10 Comments
You cannot escape history and while the world has moved on, as it always does, the sacrifice of ordinary Russian soldiers in destroying the Nazis should not be eradicated. Rather an explanation of what happened in the aftermath of WW2 should be spelt out in a plaque by the memorial. Now if the memorial was to Stalin for example that would be totally different.
It is a mockery of Hungarians. A monument to rapists and tyrants – the people that took so many Hungarians to labour camps, never to return. But who is in charge here? Who is keeping this humiliation of the Hungarian people from being demolished? like the heroes of 1956 did, the government of Hungary should demolish it. But that might anger Papa Putin.
Do not go down the same road of the US and cancel history. Learn from it. Do not destroy it.
No need to cancel history. Denying historical facts or acknowledging only some of them (primarily that are preferable at the current moment) is the exact and definite road to nowhere.
In the same manner one may say “let’s get rid of Austrian monuments” simply because of the negative sides of being Austria-Hungary. That’s simply silly.
History will not be changed by removing a monument. Monuments also represent art. Too bad Jobbik has no be better idea how to improve the lives of the citizens. Jobbik members are not earning their salary.
remember 1957!
Never cancel history, but is that monument in an appropriate place?
Did the Soviet Army bring freedom to Hungary. Methinks not. One oppressor replaced another, one bad ideology replaced another.
In its place, build a monument to the heroes of 1956 and and all the others before them who fought for freedom – isn’t Freedom Square there to reflect FREEDOM? The Soviet Union, and its armies never represented FREEDOM – not even in the Soviet Union!
Ps. My apologies, I meant to write Szabadság tér instead of Freedom Square.
If monuments are to be removed, start with Turkish minarets or anything that represents the Habsburg oppressive regime.
No no no, NOT the Turkish ones 🙁 That would be a big mistake, because as far as some Turks are concerned they were ONLY “misafirler” (guests) in Hungary 🙂 😀 and we certainly don’t want to offend V.O.’s pal (R.T.E.).
…I’m serious about the “guests” bit, A lot of older Turks actually believe that they were only “misafirler” in Hungary. Some went on to tell me that that was what they were taught in school.
– Here is an idea or two for Jobbik to float around: Move that particular memorial to the nature strip on the corner of Andrássy út and Csengery utca, or create a special park to “honour” all the “guests” throughout the centuries that came and brought “freedom” to Hungary. All those memorials and etc, could go to a newly-created theme park. 😀 -Mr Lukács?
Ps. while I am at it, build on what Bp’s Mayor (G.K) started at the Fudan University site, and make that a themed park for future “guests” that propose to bring “freedom” to Hungary. 😀