BOSNIA MOURNES MACEDONIAN SOLDIERS KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 16,2008) - Bosnian state officials declared the national mourning day yesterday, when 11 Macedonian soldiers,killed in a military helicopter crash last Saturday, were buried.

Eleven Macedonian soldiers died on Saturday when their helicopter crashed some 10 kilometres south of Macedonian capital of Skopje on their way back home from the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia, where they served with the European Union Force (EUFOR).

A member of the Bosnian Presidency Dr Haris Silajdzic signed yesterday at the Macedonian Embassy in Bosnia the condolence book opened for the tragic death of 11 Macedonian soldiers.

”It is hard to find words in moments like this. Fine young men who were in their mission in Bosnia were killed", stated Dr Silajdzic after signing the condolence book and short talk with the Macedonian Ambassador to Bosnia Mihailo Trpkovski.

Expressing his condolence for the soldiers’ deaths, Silajdzic stated that out of these 11 young men, nine of them had families and small children.

”Here from Sarajevo, we can offer them our sincere condolences on behalf of all Bosnian citizens”, he added.

The commemoration at the Macedonian army headquarters in Skopje yesterday , which began with a minute's silence, was attended by the soldier's relatives, the Macedonian state and army leaders, representatives from the religious communities and members of the Macedonian Parliament.

"In its recent history, Macedonia has never experienced such a loss of its army members. The accident is all the greater since in one day in a single moment eleven soldiers lost their lives.They were young soldiers and officers who were returning home to their families, after a successful mission in Bosnia," said the Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski at the commemoration.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic, as well as the Bosnian army officials could not attend the commemoration in the Macedonian capital Skopje yesterday.Due to weather conditions the Bosnian delegation was not able to fly to Skopje.

Macedonian troops remain present in Bosnia with 13 soldiers serving with the European Union Force (EUFOR).