Farewell ceremony for air-crash victims

The soldiers killed in the AN-24 plane crash that took place in Hungary last week have been decorated in memoriam with medals from the Slovak Armed Forces Chief of General Staff for their service in peace-keeping and observer missions. They have also received medals for loyalty to the armed forces and have been honoured with the Military Veteran Badge from the Defence Minister, and the Meritorious Cross from the Czech Defence Minister.

The official farewell ceremony for the 42 victims of the AN-24 plane crash began at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, at the Presov city hall. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Defence Minister Juraj Liska made keynote speeches. Head of UN Mission in Kosovo, the Hungarian President and Defence Minister as well as the Czech and Polish Defence Ministery representatives attended the ceremony. Also were also Slovak state officials: President Ivan Gasparovic, Premier Mikulas Dzurinda, and Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Hrusovsky.

The sole survivor of the military-aircraft crash which took place six days ago in north-eastern Hungary gave his first press conference on Wednesday since the disaster. 1st Lieutenant Martin Farkas expressed his sympathy for the bereaved families of his colleagues, and thanked the Hungarian rescuers and the medical team at the Louis Pasteur Hospital in Kosice for their professional care and sympathetic approach, which furthered his recovery and helped his family. Farkas refused to answer questions from fifty journalists about the flight and its aftermath, citing professional and personal reasons. As he said he was sitting in the rear of the aircraft, and had his seat-belt fastened at the time of the crash. 1st Liuetenant Farkas will remain in hospital for some 14 days, and may well take 3-4 months off work The Slovak AN-24 military aircraft went down near the Hungarian village of Hejce last Thursday, some five kilometres from the Slovak border, killing 42 on board returning from the KFOR mission in Kosovo. 1st Lieutenant Martin Farkas was the only survivor of the air accident.

The official farewell ceremony for the 42 victims of the AN-24 plane crash began at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, in a Presov sports hall. A very emotional speech was made by Defence Minister Juraj Liska. I remember the resolve on your faces. The pride with which you addressed this challenge will stay with me," he said. "Your presence gave Serbian and Albanian mothers hope that their children would return alive and well from school. They did return, and continue to do so also thanks to you," he added.

Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Lubomir Bulik said that the dead soldiers have left behind a great deal of good work which benefits not only Slovakia, but has also created a feeling of security for families in Kosovo. The premature deaths of so many young people, who died during last week's Slovak military-aircraft disaster, is a serious blow for NATO, said NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during Thursday's farewell ceremony for the victims in Presov.

As Sheffer stated: "Today is a very, very sad day for all of us. We all lost through this terrible accident. Men and women who did their duty in the name of peace and progress. Who showed their dedication and courage. Who were protecting other peoples’ lives and who paid the price for doing so."

Scheffer stressed that NATO is duty bound to honour their memory and their dedication to peace

"... by continuing and bringing to a successful completion our important missions, be it in Kosovo or elsewhere."

Scheffer concluded. The coffins with the bodily remains of the victims were placed by honour guards on biers in the hall. Tight security measures had been put in place in and around the venue, while local road traffic was being directed by the police. Journalists were among the first to be checked, with one hundred representatives of the domestic and foreign media in attendance.