Patriotism Is Nonnegotiable, FM Peter Szijjarto Visits Arad

Speaking at the 175th anniversary commemoration of the martyrs in Arad, Hungary's foreign minister said the officers executed here in 1849 gave their lives for a sacred cause.

Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister speaks at commemoration in Arad, Romania, October 6, 2024. (Photo: MTI/Zsolt Czegledi)

"We dare to say that the message of the Revolution of '48 reaches beyond state borders and calls the nation to unite. We are counting on all Hungarians to shape the destiny of our nation for the better," he continued, stressing that the heart of Hungary's foreign policy is a nation-based policy, centered on the idea that every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian.

Only by working together and sticking together can we preserve what we have inherited from our ancestors throughout history, and only in this way can we be proud of what we have achieved throughout history,

he underlined, saying that freedom is perhaps the most important national value of our country, which means that we decide our own destiny and our own future.

"We have had a turbulent history, but despite this turbulence, we Hungarians have always wanted the same things here, encircled by the Carpathians. The youth of March [1848] perhaps put it best: 'Let there be peace, freedom and harmony'," he stressed. The minister also pointed out that Hungary is practically the only nation in Europe today that dares to speak clearly, honestly and openly about its desire to see peace restored in the eastern half of the continent.

"Despite the stigmatization, the threats and the pressure, we continue to insist that the solution to the terrible war in our neighborhood is not on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table. Our goal cannot be anything other than a ceasefire, peace negotiations and peace, because this is the only way to save human lives, including the lives of our own brothers and sisters in Transcarpathia." 

He also added that without preserving national sovereignty, it is impossible to plan a Hungarian future.

 Let's be clear, no matter the legal, the political, the financial threats, we will not let others tell us how to live, or who to live with in our own country,

he emphasized. 

Even if they want to impose a post-Christian and post-national European federalism on us, we will remain a free and Christian nation,

he added. 

"This, my dear friends, is what the legacy of the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence means to us. That is why we are proud that we had and continue to have such brave heroes as our forefathers of 184-49 (...) We Hungarians living today continue to cherish their memory with respect and appreciation. Because we believe that the 'word Hungarian will be beautiful again, worthy of its former great fame'. Respect to the heroes, long live Hungarian freedom, long live the homeland!" Peter Szijjarto concluded his speech.