Press Advisories

21. 8. 200913:51

Czech Prime Minister honoured the memory of the victims of the August 1968 invasion

At a ceremony held this afternoon outside the building of Czech Radio in Prague on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of Czechoslovakia’s occupation by the Warsaw Treaty armies on 21st August, 1968.

The Czech Prime Minister delivered a short speech in which he highlighted the role of the Czechoslovak Radio during the occupation and paid tribute to the memory of those who did not hesitate to lay down their lives in defence of freedom.

„From early morning people were coming here, unable or unwilling to accept what happened in the night from the 20th to the 21st of August. They came in response to appeals pronounced by familiar voices that gave them hope and encouragement,“ said Jan Fischer.

He pointed out the need constantly to bear witness and remind the young generation of these critical events.

„Let us confront these events with our future prospects, and learn a lesson from them,“ the Prime Minister concluded.