Simecka on 1968 Occupation: We Have Moral Duty to Protect Freedom and Democracy

Bratislava, August 21 (TASR) - We have a moral duty to protect freedom and democracy in order to preserve them for future generations as well, House Vice-chair and leader of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka declared on Wednesday to mark the 56th anniversary of the 1968 occupation of the erstwhile Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact countries. "We have a moral duty to protect freedom and democracy also for our children and future generations," stated Simecka, adding that it's necessary to stand up against any effort to introduce censorship and to divide citizens into categories. It is not acceptable to forget the legacy of dozens of murdered citizens of Czechoslovakia or the thwarted hope of millions to live out their lives in freedom. The war in Ukraine is a painful reminder that we're not beyond the reach of such suffering ourselves even in the present day, said Simecka. In 1968, the reformist and democraticising process in Czechoslovakia was cut short by an invasion by five Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany and Poland. As of 2021, this historical event has been commemorated in Slovakia as a remembrance day. mf/df