Skopje, 8 August 2026 (MIA) - Some dates are more than just days on a calendar, they remain forever engraved in a nation’s collective memory. August 8 is one of them - a day when Macedonia remembers its sons who gave their lives in the line of duty, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on Facebook, marking the 25th anniversary of the deaths of ten army reservists from Prilep at Karpalak in 2001.

Mickoski stressed that 25 years later, time has neither erased the pain nor diminished our respect.

“On the contrary, each year reminds us that peace, freedom and the homeland have a value that we must preserve responsibly and with dignity. Karpalak is our shared wound, but also our obligation to remember,” he said.

He stressed that the names and sacrifice of those who lost their lives must never be forgotten.

“Let us not allow the names and sacrifice of those who died to be forgotten. Let us build a country where respect for those who fulfilled their duty to Macedonia stands above time, politics and divisions. We bow before their memory with gratitude and deep respect. May the memory of the Karpalak heroes live forever. Eternal glory to them,” Mickoski stressed.

During the 2001 armed conflict, on August 8, ten reservists were killed and three others were wounded when a convoy from the Prilep barracks was heading towards Tetovo. Near the Karpalak area, the convoy was ambushed and came under heavy fire, while the extraction lasted for hours.

Photo: MIA archive