The national flag was hoisted in front of Parliament on Saturday morning, as the start of state celebrations marking the anniversary of Hungary's Revolution that broke out on 15 March 1848. Summary.

The renovation of the Parliament building and Kossuth Square in front of it began in 2010 is a symbol of the renewal of the Hungarian State, Speaker of Parliament Laszló Kövér said inaugurating the square on Saturday morning. The House Speaker said the renewal of the square, just as of the Hungarian state, had been highly opportune for decades and has served the purpose of modernisation while respecting historic traditions. The bulk of the work entrusted upon the country's leaders had been completed not just in politics, but also with regard to the refurbishment of Kossuth Square, he said, adding that voters can give their final opinion on both on 6th of April at the polls. President Janos Áder and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also attended this event.

Hungary could become a country which stands on its own feet, joining the ranks of proud and successful nations, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at the National Museum in Budapest. He said the country was on the threshold of a new era, which could make it free and strong. It could stop the demographic decline of the Hungarian population, stop being exploited by others and provide jobs and opportunities for everyone. The Prime Minister said that the War of Independence of 1848-49 had allowed the extraordinary capabilities of the Hungarian nation to shine through and the holiday has been "adored" by Hungarians ever since. Hungarians have always wanted to be masters of their own destiny and a Hungarian hero is one who triumphs over fate. That fate had been Habsburg rule in 1848, the permanent presence of Soviet troops in 1990, and a permanent place on the dunce's seat in Europe in 2010. According to Viktor Orbán, Hungary has been able to improve its performance over the past four years due to the unity of Hungarians: "Hungary is the most unified country in Europe today". He noted the Government's measures since 2010, which had protected families from exploitation, monopolies, and cartels. He added that jobs had been protected and new ones created by the hundreds of thousand while similar numbers of people had saved from the debt trap. The Prime Minister emphasised that the Government's moves to reduce household utility bills had been attempts to reduce "the most unfair of burdens", just as the 1848 revolution had also made this a priority. Mr. Orbán greeted Polish visitors to the event and ended his speech with the words: "Long live Hungarian freedom, long live our homeland!".

In 1848, 15 March became the birthday of Hungary as a modern political nation, President Janos Áder said at a commemoration of the 19th century military engineer Ernő Hollán on Saturday. Addressing a crowd in Békas, Hollán's birthplace, in western Hungary, President Áder said the country's modern period stemmed from the strengthening of the middle classes during the 19th century. He cited as examples the 12 points of the young revolutionaries (the Youths of March) in 1848, the convening of the first free parliament and the forming of the first fully-responsible government. In the past 166 years, Hungarians have always been able to gain strength from the message of 15 March, stressed the President of the Republic.
Taking part in a 15 March commemoration of the 1848-1849 revolution in Szabadka (Subotica, Serbia), Foreign Minister János Martonyi assured the Hungarians of Vojvodina and Serbia of Hungary's support. The Minister noted that Hungary had supported Serbia's European integration endeavours from the very beginning and would continue to do so. He highlighted the fact that Europe's reunification had not yet been completed, and Serbia plays a strategically important role in the region, he added. The Hungarian Government's determined position is that "our celebrations must be commemorated together with the world's Hungarians" adding that the 15 March national holiday marked independence, while on Sunday Serbia would celebrate democracy. Elections are not the only condition for democracy but an indispensable one, and for this people must take part, the Minister added, urging Vojvodina Hungarians to vote in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking in Kézdivásárhely (Targu Secuiesc, Romania), Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said that the autonomy endeavours of local Hungarians are not directed against anyone. ‘Dear friends, autonomy within the EU is a natural thing, a normal reality. If others are allowed to have it, we, too, should be allowed to have it because we are just as worthy as any other nation" said the Deputy Prime Minister. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh, speaking in Sepsiszentgyörgy (Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania), said that the events in 1848-1849 had succeeded in ensuring national self-determination and autonomy for Hungarians within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  "Autonomy is not secession. We will repeat it for the twentieth or hundredth time, that it is not secession. I want to make it absolutely clear: you can rely on Hungary's support in your struggle" State Secretary told the crowd in the city's main square.

(Prime Minister’s Office)