P6_TA(2006)0454

Commemoration of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising

European Parliament resolution on the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its historical meaning for Europe

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the European Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms — principles that are common to all Member States,

B. whereas the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were deprived of their sovereignty and freedom by the Yalta division of post-World War II Europe for more than four decades,

C. whereas the Communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe were not based on the consent or will of the people, and were maintained by Soviet military occupation and through the collaboration of Communist parties,

D. recalling the courage and determination of Hungarians who took to the streets in protest against the dictatorial rule of the Communist Party on 23 October 1956,

E. expressing its esteem for the perseverance of the Hungarians who continued their fight for freedom, national independence and civil rights in spite of the lack of any military help from the West and the intervention and overwhelming military preponderance of the Soviet Union,

F. saluting the human and political courage of Imre Nagy, the reform-communist prime minister of Hungary, who rightly understood the elementary expression of the will of the people and agreed to be the political leader of the popular revolution for freedom and democracy, eventually sacrificing his life and becoming a martyr for liberty as he was executed in 1958 for not bowing to pressure to publicly renounce the Revolution,

G. saluting the victims of the Revolution — 2170 killed in the fighting — and those of the cruel retaliation — 228 executed between 1956 and 1961, 20000 taken into custody and imprisoned between 1956 and 1958, and thousands discriminated against for decades after the Revolution by the returning Communist leadership,

H. expressing its gratitude for the solidarity shown by people in many countries of the West as they welcomed 194000 Hungarian refugees in 1956 and 1957,

I. recognising the essential value of solidarity between nations in general and, in particular, between the various nations of Central and Eastern Europe who have fought for their freedom — the Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians,

J. recognising the historical and political link between the Hungarian Revolution in October 1956 and various other forms of resistance and resistance movements, such as the mass demonstrations in East Germany in June 1953, the Poznan demonstrations in Poland in June 1956, the Prague Spring of 1968, the birth of the Solidarity Movement in Poland in 1980 and democracy movements in the former USSR, notably those of the Baltic peoples,

K. recognising that the Hungarian Revolution was a historic attempt at the reunification of a divided Europe, and as such remains a cornerstone of our common European historical heritage,

L. recognising how the Hungarian Revolution contributed to the strengthening of cohesion in the democratic world and to the eventual founding of the European Communities in 1957, and was the antecedent to the democratic political changes that took place in 1989-1990 in Central and Eastern Europe, allowing the peaceful reunification of Europe through the European integration process,

1. Recognises the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 as one of the 20th century's emblematic manifestations of the pursuit of liberty and democracy that defied Communism in the Soviet bloc;

2. Salutes the brave men and women of Hungary who, by their self-sacrifice, lit a beacon of hope for other nations under the stranglehold of Communist rule;

3. Underlines the fact that the democratic community must unequivocally reject the repressive and undemocratic Communist ideology and uphold the principles of liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and take a clear stand whenever they are violated;

4. Calls on all democratic countries to clearly condemn the crimes committed by all totalitarian regimes;

5. Calls for the establishment of a European programme to strengthen cooperation between research and documentation centres in Member States studying the crimes of totalitarian regimes;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

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