Czech leaders commemorate invasion of 1968, warn of possible repeat in Belarus

The events of August 1968 are a lesson that being dependent on any kind of undemocratic country is deadly and only takes freedom away, Senate speaker Miloš Vystrčil said at a commemoration event in front of the Czech Radio building in Prague on Friday, on the occasion of the 52. anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Mr. Vystrčil also mentioned the ongoing situation in Belarus, saying that Czechs cannot lay idle while they see the threat of 1968 repeating in another country. He said he believes Czech leaders are taking the situation seriously.

The Vice-Chair of the Chamber of Deputies Petr Fiala represented the lower-house of Parliament at the commemoration. Meanwhile, Vice-Premier Jan Hamáček and Finance Minister Alena Schillerová represented the government.

Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček and Labour Minister Jana Maláčová laid flowers at the memorial in front of the Czech Radio building earlier on Friday.