Prilep, 8 August 2025 (MIA) - A central commemoration event marking the 24th anniversary since the Karpalak ambush, which killed 10 army reservists, was held in front of the Karpalak monument in downtown Prilep on Friday.  

Numerous state delegations, relatives of the deceased, associations and citizens laid flowers and bowed before the memory of the fallen heroes.

The city honoured and remembers the ten fallen defenders: Goran Minoski, Sasho Kitanoski, Vebi Rushidoski, Branko Sekuloski, Ljube Grujoski, Nane Naumoski, Erdovan Shabanoski, Marko Despotoski, Pece Sekuloski and Darko Veljanoski.

Memories do not fade, and the messages are stronger, Karpalak is a wound, but also a vow, said Prilep Mayor Borche Jovcheski.

"A vow that Macedonia will be a country of justice, peace and dignity. A vow that there will be no more division and hatred. A vow that our past will teach us, not divide us. Families of the fallen heroes - you are not forgotten. Your pain is the pain of the whole of Prilep. Your dignity is strength for all of us," Jovcheski told the commemoration event.

According to Deputy Minister of Economy and Labour, Marjan Risteski, who also attended the events, Prilep and Macedonia honour their courage, sacrifice and ideal.

"This day is strongly engraved in my thoughts, when together with more than 100 reservists we witnessed the horror that took the lives of my comrades who died defending our homeland. These people are great heroes of Macedonia, but they were also our fellow citizens, our comrades, our sons, fathers, husbands... They were prepared and made the greatest sacrifice for our homeland, something that none of us should or can forget," said Risteski.

The fallen heroes were also honoured on Friday in front of the memorial at the Karpalak site. Jordan Trajkoski from the Association of Military Conscripts from Prilep expressed disappointment and outrage that even after 24 years there is no worthy memorial in the area where one of the greatest tragedies in recent Macedonian history occurred.

"Today, again we are at the same place without any worthy memorial. Every year we reiterate the same request and come across a bunch of promises that there will be a monument, it will be like this - it will be like that, and it has been 22 years since we first came here in 2003, still no worthy memorial. In addition, the rights of the defenders have not been realized so far," said Trajkoski. 

As part of the morning commemorations, the eternal resting places of the fallen defenders in Prilep and in the settlements were visited, and last night, tributes were paid to them in front of the memorial in the Prilep barracks.

As part of the commemoration events, several delegations paid respects at the final resting place in Prilep and the surrounding area earlier today. On Thursday evening, respects were paid at the memorial in the Prilep barracks. 

Photo: MIA