1937 – A Soviet station, North Pole-1, becomes the first scientific research solution to operate on the flowing ice of the Arctic Ocean. The members of the expedition, hydrobiologist Pyotr Shirshov, geophysicist Yevgeny Fyodorov, radio operator Ernst Krenkel and commander Ivan Papanin, after returning home, were awarded the high title of Heroes of the Soviet Union. This was one of the famous Russian expeditions that explored the North Pole.
1966 – The Ulster Volunteer Force declare war on the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Volunteer Force is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group. It appeared in 1966. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British soldier. The group undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during the Troubles. It declared a ceasefire in 1994.
1973– At 5:30 in the morning, the Spaçi Prison Revolt started, this was a two-day uprising of the political prisoners of the Spaçi Prison, the Spaçi Revolt constitutes a high point in the history of the anti-communist resistance, but also of the movement for freedom and democracy. The causes of this revolt were the inhumane conditions in which the prison inmates suffered, their slave labor, the use of psychological and physical torture, as well as the miserable condition of the people under the communist dictatorship, against which they stood up and stood heroically. One of the symbolic and significant gestures that marked the climax of the revolt was the raising of the national flag without the communist star, on the terrace of one of the dormitories, which was improvised with circumstantial means by the prisoners. Red meringue was taken to the camp’s cultural center and Mersin Vlashi painted the eagle on the flag, which was placed on the terrace of the prison building. For the first time after 29 years, the Albanian flag flew without the red star of the communists. The Spaçi revolt was violently suppressed by the regime, punishing the insurgents with sentences ranging from an additional 25 years to the original prison sentence, to execution by firing squad. 68 convicts were immediately arrested. 12 of them were tried and sentenced as early as May 24 by the College of the Supreme Court. The motivation for the punishments given by the authorities was “burning signs of socialist emulation, raising the flag without a star, writing hostile slogans and posting them, as well as verbally throwing slogans in a more demonstrative manner with deeply hostile content.”
1986 – Born in Slavnski Brod, Mario Mandzukic. Mandzukic, is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Qatar Stars League club Al-Duhail. Some of the clubs where he debuted are Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus. At international level, Mandzukic was given his debut for Croatia in November 2007 under manager Slaven Bilic. He is the second best goalscorer after Suker in the Croatian national team.
1991 – Rajiv Gandhi dies at the age of 46. Gandhi, was an Indian politician who served as the 6th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the 1984 assassination of his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to become the youngest Indian Prime Minister at the age 40 years old. But he too would suffer the same tragic fate as his mother. Rajiv would be killed by a bomb blast.
1996 – The ferry MV Bukoba sinks in the waters of Lake Victoria, Tanzania killing nearly 1,000 passengers. President Benjamin Mkapa declared three days of national mourning. Criminal charges were brought against 10 officials of the Tanzania Railway Corporation, including the captain of the Bukoba and the manager of the TRC’s Maritime Division. This disaster is undoubtedly the most tragic on the entire African continent.
2006 – The Republic of Montenegro holds a referendum proposing independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. 60 percent of Montenegrins vote for independence. The Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro made an official Declaration of Independence on Saturday, June 3. The US, China, Russia, and the institutions of the European Union expressed their intentions to respect the results of this referendum.
2012 – The Tragedy of Himara, a serious car accident occurred around 16:30 when a bus full of students fell into an abyss, killing 13 students and injuring 22. The bus was with 45 students who were from the University Aleksandr Xhuvani from Elbasan who were on an expedition. Among the 13 victims of this tragedy, the Government of Albania declared May 22 the National Day of Mourning. The bus was found in an abyss in Qafë e Visha near Himara, the abyss was 80 meters underground, the official cause of the accident was overspeeding.
