Slovakia and Slovenia hold war memorial ceremonies

Slovak foreign minister Juraj Blanár attended a ceremony at the Pobjednik memorial in Ljubovo, Croatia, where the names of Rotmajster Igor Riga and Čatár Vladimír Grmán were unveiled. Both soldiers were killed while serving in the UNPROFOR peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Blanár stressed that peace is not a given and highlighted Slovakia’s long‑standing contribution to UN peace operations. The event was also attended by veteran‑union president Pavel Marko and Slovak ambassador Hana Kováčová.

In Slovenia, a memorial service was held at the Storžič monument to honour the eight partisans who fell in August 1941 during the first attacks on the Storžič battalion. Dr. Rado Bohinc, vice‑president of the Association of WWII veterans, delivered the main speech, recalling the heroes’ sacrifice and urging renewed commitment to democracy. Local mayor Peter Miklič and community leader Jure Jerkič also addressed the gathering, linking the historic struggle to contemporary democratic values.