Bratislava held a memorial at Šafárik Square to honour the victims of the 1968 Warsaw Pact occupation of Czechoslovakia. The event was organised by the Confederation of Political Prisoners of Slovakia and attended by senior officials, including Parliament Speaker Richard Raši (Voice-SD) and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD).
Raši said the anniversary is a reminder of the importance of Slovakia’s active role in shaping Europe’s security. He warned that great-power politics today resemble the pressures that doomed Czechoslovakia’s reform process in August 1968.
Foreign Minister Blanár emphasised that no major power should violate the sovereignty of smaller states and called for diplomacy and respect for international law to prevent such events from happening again.
The Government Office highlighted the significance of the occupation, noting its lasting impact on Czechoslovakia’s sovereignty and international standing. Since 2021, Slovakia has officially commemorated the 21st of August as a Memorial Day.
Source: TASR
