Slovakia shaken by a tragic traffic accident

Slovakia shaken by a tragic traffic accident

A day of national mourning will be observed in Slovakia on Friday, paying respects to the twelve people that died in a fatal bus crash near Nitra on Wednesday. This decision stems from an extraordinary Cabinet session that took place on Thursday, at the request of the Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini. After hearing about the tragic news, Pellegrini terminated his visit to Cyprus and returned to Slovakia.

On Wednesday evening, President Zuzana Čaputová expressed deep sorrow about the fatal traffic accident that claimed a dozen lives. It was reported that the afternoon bus on the Nitra-Jelenec route was carrying mainly secondary-school students returning home from schools in Nitra. "We are in our thoughts in these moments with the parents who've lost their children, their dear and close ones. We are also thinking about the injured to ensure that they get the best assistance and care possible. We all hope that the number of killed won't continue rising," said Čaputová in a statement provided to the TASR news agency. "After this terrible tragedy, I ask everyone to drive carefully and with consideration, so that we can all return safely to our families," added Čaputová.

The Czech President Miloš Zeman and Hungarian President Janos Adler have sent telegrams of condolence to Zuzana Čaputová in connection with Wednesday's tragic traffic accident near Nitra. "Words can hardly express the pain and grief over wasted lives. Let me express my deep sympathy in my name and in the name of the Czech people, " wrote Zeman. The Hungarian President expressed his sincere condolences to the family members and friends of the victims, wishing the wounded the earliest possible recovery.

So far, state mourning has been declared nine times in Slovakia. February 22, 2009 was such a day, in relation to a tragic traffic accident caused by a bus crash at the railway crossing near Polomka (Banska Bystrica region), where a bus collided with a train. Twelve people died in the tragedy. The Government also declared a day of state mourning on September 9, 2008. This was in memory of the victims of a Slovak bus crash in Croatia, in which 16 people were killed on September 7, 2008.

Zuzana Botiková, Photo: TASR

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