The Country Pays Tribute to Their Memory

“It is not enough to merely recall that these soldiers fulfilled their duties and built the reputation of the Slovak Republic. It is not enough to merely say that we pay tribute to them and commemorate them. The country pays tribute to their memory, we have not forgotten them, and will never forget them. Honor and glory to you all!", Andrej Kiska said.

László Szőke, Director of Foreign Affairs, Office of the President of Hungary emphasized that those who we remember gave a nice example of the teaching “we are not born for ourselves alone". “Far from their homeland, they served the cause of peace and did a good job; who knows how many people owed their security to them and how many owe a debt of gratitude to them for achieving that the weapons fall silent in a war-torn country", he added.

The director reminded his audience that on the evening of the disaster, “when the flames rose over Hejce, the residents of the village swung into action immediately. It did not matter which side of the border they were born, or what uniform they wore. “Hejce passed the test, and deservedly earned the prize that goes to the ones who did the most for making sure that Hungarians and Slovaks can live as good friends" – he pointed out.

The commemoration started in the morning by the memorial site on Borsó-Hill, where 42 wooden headboards stand in memory of the dead. Also in attendance were Slovak Minister of Defence Martin Glovác, Slovak Chief of Defence Milan Maxim, Hungarian Chief of Defence Gen. Tibor Benkő, and Maj.-Gen. István Kun Szabó, Deputy State Secretary for Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. In the afternoon, the commemorators laid wreaths and lights in front of the monument in the Hejce memorial park.

Nine years ago to the day, in the evening hours an An–24 aircraft of the Slovak Air Force crashed into Borsó-Hill above Hejce, near Airport Kosice, only 30 kilometers from the runway. Forty-two troops returning home from the KFOR peacekeeping mission lost their lives in the disaster, which was survived by only one soldier.

Since then, the event is remembered every year at Hejce by the bereaved, the comrades, the leaders of the Slovak armed forces and the Hungarian Defence Forces, the one-time participants of the rescue efforts and the local people as well as by Martin Farkas, the only survivor who attended this year’s commemoration too.

Photos: Veronika Dévényi