Pilot’s Killing in Slovenia’s ‘Ten-Day War’ Causes Enduring Controversy

On June 27, 1991, the first day of the armed conflict in Slovenia, what were initially described as two 'enemy' helicopters were shot down by Slovenian troops.

One was brought down over the settlement of Ig, close to the capital Ljubljana, and the other over Rozna Dolina, a settlement in the south-west part of the capital, as Slovenia became the first of the six Yugoslav republics to formally leave the federal state.

Both helicopters belonged to the Yugoslav People's Army, JNA, but the one that was shot down above Rozna Dolina, an SA-341 Gazelle, was unarmed and was being used to take bread to JNA soldiers.

The helicopter crashed and burned, and the loaves of bread were scattered over the road. Both the pilot, a Slovenian called Toni Mrlak, and his co-pilot Bojance Sibinovski, a Macedonian, died on the spot.

The so-called 'Ten-Day War' between Slovenian Territorial Defence forces and the JNA broke out after Ljubljana declared independence and continued until July 7, 1991, when the Brijuni Accords which ended the conflict were signed.

During the conflict, many Slovenian soldiers quit the ethnically-mixed JNA and went to join their country's independence struggle. It emerged later that helicopter pilot Mrlak was also planning to defect from the Yugoslav side, but was killed before he could do it.

Today, a memorial honouring Mrlak as a fighter for Slovenian independence stands in Rozna Dolina, even though, over the past 30 years, there has been much debate about his role, including attempts by right-wingers to portray him as an 'aggressor' against Slovenia.

Many observers are convinced that the helicopter piloted by Mrlak was shot down for propaganda purposes, so that the Slovenian military leadership could show that...