Skopje, 10 August 2025 (MIA) - Delegations laid wreaths Sunday at the memorial in the village of Volkovo in Gjorche Petrov municipality honoring the eight Army reservists killed on this day 24 years ago in the area Ljubotenski Bachila.

Justice Minister Igor Filkov and Minister of Digitalization Stefan Andonovski laid flowers on behalf of the Government, Army General Staff Director, Brigadier-General Orce Jordev from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, as well as delegations from the President's Office, Ministry of Interior, Gjorche Petrov Municipality and others.

The commemoration also included family members and delegations from veterans' associations of Macedonia and Gjorche Petrov.

Gjorche Petrov Mayor Aleksandar Stojkoski said the day marked the heroic sacrifice of the eight Macedonian defenders, who laid their lives for the homeland.

"Twenty-four years have passed but the sorrow still lives in the hearts of their loved ones. It is a pain we all share, suffering that has turned into national pride. They are not only names, they are our collective consciousness, our testament," said Stojkoski.

Earlier, wreaths were also laid at the memorial of reservist Tomislav Nastevski in Gjorche Petrov.

On 10 August 2001, an army vehicle hit two planted mines at a road near Ljubotenski Bachila. Skopje garrison reservists Tome Badarovski, Goce Chankulovski, Branko Janev, Tomislav Nastevski, Marjancho Boshkovski, Ivica Zlatevski, Tome Dimoski and Rade Jankovski were killed in the incident. Police officer Aco Angelovski, who was killed in the village of Arachinovo in an attack on a police patrol in 2000, is also honored on this day.

Photo: Gjorche Petrov Municipality