Czechs commemorate 49th anniversary of Soviet-led invasion

Czechs have paid homage to the victims and remembered the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia on the 49th anniversary of the event. A traditional commemoration took place at Czech Radio’s Prague building, the focus for clashes between the invading troops and citizens. An all day concert was scheduled to take place in Prague’s Wenceslas Square. Commemorations also took place in the second city, Brno, and other towns and cities. Speaker of the lower house, Jan Hamaček, stressed the importance of strong allies and membership of NATO as one lesson that should be drawn from the events of 1968. The Soviet led invasion was prompted by Moscow fears about the liberalisation taking place in Czechoslovakia under the then Communist leadership from the mid-1960s.