Date of Soviet-led invasion in 1989 set to become Czech state holiday

The Czech Republic looks set to officially declare August 21 a state holiday, in memory of victims of the Warsaw Pact troop invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and subsequent Soviet-led occupation.

Senators voted overwhelmingly on Friday to amend legislation to create the new holiday.

In total, 90 lawmakers from all parliamentary groups apart from the Communist Party voted in favour of the bill, which must be signed by President Miloš Zeman in order to become law.

According to the bill, the night of August 20-21, 1968, was among of the most tragic times in modern Czechoslovak history.

Author: Brian Kenety