Remembrances at Hill Borsó
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- Date: 19.01.2016
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During remembrance ceremonies in the Hungarian village of Hejce and on top of Hill Borsó, SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč paid tribute to the memory of the 42 victims who died in the greatest aviation tragedy in the history of the SVK Armed Forces. On 19 January 2006, a SVK AN-24 military aircraft carrying members of SLOVCON KFOR from Kosovo crashed only a few kilometres off Slovakia’s national border. Only one soldier survived the accident – Capt Martin Farkaš (then 1st Lt).
“Time may soften the pain, but the empty space in our hearts will remain forever. I am well aware that no words can possibly express the essence of grief and the depth of loss that you went through. At this site, I applaud your strength and endurance with which you continue to walk through your lives despite the cruel stroke of fate. On 19 January, each and every year, we come together to pay respects to all those who perished on Borsó Hill,” said SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gen Milan Maxim said: “At the time of the accident ten years ago I was a commander waiting for my subordinates to return but they never did, today I am the Chief of the General Staff who wants to make sure their memory will never fall into oblivion,” said Gen Milan Maxim.
Among those extending their deepest sympathy and condolences to the surviving families were the presidents of Slovakia and Hungary, H.E. Mr Andrej Kiska and H.E. Mr János Áder, Marin Glváč’s counterpart – Hungarian Minister of Defence István Simicskó, both Chiefs of the General Staffs – Gen Milan Maxim and Gen Tibor Benkö, as well as Assistant NATO Secretary General for Operations Patrick Turner.
Also present at the ceremony at the site of the air disaster was Capt Martin Farkaš. “I come here regularly on the anniversary of the accident, as well as throughout the year. The memories of my colleagues who died here are still fresh and I will never forget them. I still miss them very much,” he said.
“Time may soften the pain, but the empty space in our hearts will remain forever. I am well aware that no words can possibly express the essence of grief and the depth of loss that you went through. At this site, I applaud your strength and endurance with which you continue to walk through your lives despite the cruel stroke of fate. On 19 January, each and every year, we come together to pay respects to all those who perished on Borsó Hill,” said SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gen Milan Maxim said: “At the time of the accident ten years ago I was a commander waiting for my subordinates to return but they never did, today I am the Chief of the General Staff who wants to make sure their memory will never fall into oblivion,” said Gen Milan Maxim.
Among those extending their deepest sympathy and condolences to the surviving families were the presidents of Slovakia and Hungary, H.E. Mr Andrej Kiska and H.E. Mr János Áder, Marin Glváč’s counterpart – Hungarian Minister of Defence István Simicskó, both Chiefs of the General Staffs – Gen Milan Maxim and Gen Tibor Benkö, as well as Assistant NATO Secretary General for Operations Patrick Turner.
Also present at the ceremony at the site of the air disaster was Capt Martin Farkaš. “I come here regularly on the anniversary of the accident, as well as throughout the year. The memories of my colleagues who died here are still fresh and I will never forget them. I still miss them very much,” he said.
