Foreign Policies

Fico: Dubcek's Bust to Be Unveiled in European Parliament

Bratislava, November 29 (TASR) – Slovak politician Alexander Dubcek, who was at the helm of a reformist Czechoslovak communist movement in 1968 known as the Prague Spring, will get a bust in European Parliament on December 13, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced Tuesday at Bratislava Castle at a ceremony commemorating the 95th anniversary of Dubcek’s birth.

Fico will be one of those to unveil the bust, which originates from a private collection and has an inscription that reads ‘I Believe in Human Goodness’.

“Alexander Dubcek has always inspired me in an extraordinary manner. Unfortunately, I knew him for only a very short time – I spoke to him only two or three times, but it enriched me immensely. He’s a political inspiration that I’m striving to pursue not only as prime minister, but especially as Smer-SD chairman,” said Fico.

“Few people know about his life, his experiences, work and legacy. I’m 52, so I was four in 1969 [when Dubcek was forced to step down as Czechoslovak leader – ed. note]. When I was 15 or 16, I was flipping through old newspapers and I found a copy of the Nove Slovo weekly from 1968, which described the atmosphere surrounding the Prague Spring and all the related expectations,” said Fico.

According to him, if Dubcek’s ideas for an alternative to a tough capitalism had been allowed to take root, Slovakia would have been far more developed today.

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