By: C. R.
The Cultural Centre in Ribnica hosted the main commemorative ceremony on Saturday, 16 May 2026, marking the 85th anniversary of the TIGR fighters’ clash with the Italian occupier on Mala Gora. The event, co‑organised by patriotic associations, was highlighted by a resonant speech from former Constitutional Court judge Dr Klemen Jaklič, the presentation of a new book, and the official announcement of the long‑time society president Vili Kovačič stepping down.
The commemorative programme began already in the afternoon with the traditional mountaineering hike along the TIGR trails from the Church of St Stephen to Mala Gora. This was followed by a memorial Holy Mass, celebrated in the presence of local priests by the retired Archbishop of Ljubljana, Dr Anton Stres.
Dr Klemen Jaklič: “TIGR is a unique, morally pure and supra‑ideological movement”
The central part of the evening ceremony belonged to the keynote speaker, Dr Klemen Jaklič. The former Constitutional Court judge drew a direct parallel between 1941 and 1991, emphasising the legal and value‑based continuity of Slovenian statehood. Jaklič highlighted that the clash of the TIGR trio (Danilo Zelen, Anton Majnik, Ferdo Kravanja) with the Italian patrol on 13 May 1941 represents the first documented armed resistance of Slovenes against the fascist occupier. He expressed regret that TIGR was deliberately pushed to the margins of history under the previous regime, which claimed a monopoly over the resistance. He described the organisation as a morally pure movement, untainted, unlike later revolutionary factions, by fratricidal conflict.
Initiative for a new national holiday and work‑free day
The organisers, the Slovenian TIGR 13 May Society, the Association for the Values of Slovenian Independence (VSO), and the Slovenian Mountaineering Club Skala, used the occasion to once again present their legislative initiative to make 13 May an official national holiday and work‑free day. In their view, this would finally restore honour to the patriotic Primorska fighters and place historical facts where they belong.
A new anthology titled TIGR Returns from Exile was also presented for the first time. The book brings extensive documentary material and testimonies about the post‑war persecution of surviving TIGR members by the Yugoslav authorities.
Vili Kovačič hands leadership to a younger generation
The ceremony also carried strong symbolic weight for the future of the society. Long‑time president and civil‑society activist Vili Kovačič officially announced that he is stepping down as head of the Slovenian TIGR 13 May Society. Leadership now passes to a younger generation, which faces a major logistical and substantive challenge – preparing for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the historic TIGR organisation, which Slovenia will mark in 2027.
A rich cultural programme accompanied the event, featuring performances by the ensemble Gašperji, tenor Danilo Lukan, legendary Avsenik singer Jožica Svete, bass‑baritone Marcos Fink, and the octet Fantje z vasi. Attendees could also enjoy an interpretation of patriotic songs by Igor Pirkovič.
The organisers will publish the full video recording of the ceremony in the coming days on social media and on the YouTube channels of the co‑organisers.