“The revolution and freedom fight of 1956 is a part of our history that has been living with us ever since: it is still present in our decisions, our faith in the unity of Hungarians and our perceptions of the world”, Minister of Finance Mihály Varga said at an event organized by the Hungarian Embassy in Switzerland to commemorate the 62th anniversary of the 1956 revolution in Bern.
Switzerland has received more than 12 000 Hungarians fleeing from the country after the Soviet invasion; compared to the size of population and that of territory, Switzerland is also the country that has received the largest number of Hungarians in this period, the Minister noted.
“Hungarians preserved the ideals of the revolution in the coming decades: this has given them power to believe that the nation may one day become free and united again. That is why we Hungarians, who cast off the yoke of Communism in 1989-1990, think of the future when we commemorate 1956. We think of an independent country whose citizens live in safety; a country of self-determination; a country which can join the group of highly developed economies thanks to the work of citizens”.
It was not only during the revolution when Switzerland came to our rescue, Mihály Varga stressed. “When Hungary -- after the regime change and the first democratic elections -- re-entered the path of European democracies, Switzerland has supported the country in a thousand ways, helping to shape our democracy and have a sound economic system. This helpful attitude nowadays assists Hungary to better adapt to the European Union and get more deeply integrated. Where else can people better understand our efforts for more independence and deeper integration in a clear and fair European system than in Switzerland, the country which consciously safeguards its special status and sovereignty?” the Minister asked.
“We also thank Switzerland that they comprehend and make others comprehend the uniqueness of our country, which has its one-of-a-kind values worth preserving within a kaleidoscopic Europe”, Mihály Varga stated, adding that “the spirit of ’56, the longing for freedom, tops the list of these values”.
(Ministry of Finance)
