Skopje observes its Liberation Day


Many cultural, humanitarian and sports events are to mark Sunday the Liberation Day - 13 November - of Macedonia's capital - Skopje.

On the occasion, the '13 November' award will be presented at the cinema 'Frosina' to this year laureates: PhD Nikita Sekutovski, Prof. Ljubinka Bosotova - education; Bojku Fejzi and Dimitar Masevski - art; Boris Pop Gjorcev - journalisam; Bosko Zaborski - sports; Aleksandar Janevski - humanitarian activities; Mico Popovski - business; the Center for Environmental Reaserch and Information 'Eco-Svest'; as well as students - Ivan Antovski, Tasko Smilevski and Aleksandar Stepanovski.

Early today, Skopje Mayor Koce Trajanovski met with a group of veterans, who fought for Skopje liberation in 1944.

State, diplomatic delegations are also set to lay fresh flowers on the monuments of Skopje Liberators, Partisan Cemetery and General 'Mihajlo Apostolski' monument.

The program also includes a Red Cross blood donation campaign and several sports events.

Skopje was liberated on 13 November 1944 by Yugoslav Partisan units of the Macedonian National Liberation Army. Soon after, Skopje became the capital of the newly established People's Republic of Macedonia within the Yugoslavia.

In 1963 the city suffered considerable damage from a major earthquake, which killed over 1,000 people. International financial aid poured into Skopje in order to help rebuild the city, which since then has been known as the 'City of Solidarity'.