European Day of Remembrance marks anniversary of Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

September 23 marks the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, commemorating the anniversary of the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

The observance highlights historical tensions regarding how different political regimes are remembered. While atrocities committed by the Nazi regime typically trigger widespread condemnation, the documentation of Soviet-era crimes—such as the Holodomor, the Gulag system, and cooperation between the NKVD and the Gestapo—has faced boycotts and accusations of revisionism from certain political factions.

In Portugal, the discourse includes criticism of political figures from the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) who have praised the advancements of the former Soviet Union or celebrated the legacy of Fidel Castro in Cuba. The discussion emphasizes a perceived double standard in how historical crimes and totalitarian regimes are evaluated by media and political institutions.