Skopje, 9 August 2024 (MIA) - As Minister of Interior, and above all as a human being, I strongly condemn the vandalism on the memorial plaque of the fallen defenders near the village of Karpalak, Minister Panche Toshkovski posted Friday on Facebook.

"This act is a direct attack on our collective memory and on those who gave their lives to preserve the security and integrity of Macedonia. I want to emphasize that such acts will not be tolerated, and the Ministry of Interior will take all necessary measures to sanction the perpetrators of these cowardly acts, with the aim of protecting our cultural and historical values," reads the post.

The damage to the Karpalak memorial plaque was reported to the Ministry of Interior earlier on Friday. 

The Ministry of Defence also condemned the case, noting that it is taking steps to place a new memorial plaque as soon as possible.

Thursday marked the 23-year anniversary of the tragic incident when ten defenders were killed in an ambush near the Prilep village of Karpalak on Aug. 8, 2001. The ten army reservists who were killed in the August 8, 2001, Karpalak ambush were Sasho Kitanoski, Nane Naumoski, Branko Sekuloski, Marko Despotoski, Erdovan Shabanoski, Ljube Grujoski, Darko Veljanoski, Vebi Rushitoski, Goran Minoski, and Pece Sekuloski.

Photo: MIA archive