Those with imperial endeavours have seen danger in the Hungarian nation’s desire for liberty ever since the crushing of the 1848-49 revolution, even when the nation took a stand for peace and order, Árpád János Potápi, the state secretary in charge of policies for Hungarian communities abroad, said in Dunajska Streda (Dunaszerdahely), in southern Slovakia, on Thursday. Addressing a commemoration of Arad martyrs, Potápi noted that the Habsburg empire that carried out the reprisals at that time branded the freedom fighters as enemies of order and peace.
Potápi called Hungary’s policies for Hungarian communities abroad as its greatest achievement over the past 12 years, adding that the feeling of national cohesion ad strengthened. “Now we’re helping each another’s prosperity as a true nation,” he said. Speaking about the future, Potápi said that difficulties are to be expected in the period ahead, too, but “today no nation is as united within its borders and beyond as ours”.
“In this unity there is strength and perseverance on which we can build our future”, he said. Hungary’s government declared October 6 a national day of mourning in 2001, in commemoration of the 13 martyrs executed in Arad following the crushing of the revolution. Lajos Batthyány, Hungary’s first prime minister, who is also commemorated today, was executed in Pest.