Slovenia commemorates COVID-19 victims one year since its first death

Slovenian President Borut Pahor (L) and Prime Minister Janez Jansa (R) attend a memorial activity in Ljubljana, Slovenia, March 14, 2021. Slovenia commemorated those who have died from COVID-19 with a memorial service at Ljubljana's Zale cemetery on Sunday. The event was held exactly a year after the first person with COVID-19 died in Slovenia. President Borut Pahor expressed condolences to the victims' families, warning that the virus had not been defeated yet. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua)

LJUBLJANA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia commemorated those who have died from COVID-19 with a memorial service at Ljubljana's Zale cemetery on Sunday.

The event was held exactly a year after the first person with COVID-19 died in Slovenia. President Borut Pahor expressed condolences to the victims' families, warning that the virus had not been defeated yet.

"A difficult year is behind us. A long, sorrowful and lonely year. Everybody among us has lost someone, everybody has lost something that we have missed," Pahor said, adding that the epidemic had made people aware of the importance of solidarity.

The president stressed that this "special, unusual period" was not over yet, calling for mutual respect, courage and solidarity.

According to the Sledilnik coronavirus data tracker site, there have been 3,934 COVID-19 deaths in the country by Sunday.

Slovenia on Sunday reported 520 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the national tally to 200,375, which is about 10 percent of its population.