Baku-APA. Norway marked on Monday the second anniversary of the July 22 incident in which 77 people were killed two years ago in a strong bombing explosion in downtown Oslo and a following shooting spree on the small Utoeya island, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
In an arrangement scaled down in comparison with last year, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg made a six-minute speech at a wreath-laying ceremony in front of the damaged government building which used to house his office.
Stoltenberg asked the entire nation to guard against the extreme rightist and racist force, which he said is growing in Europe.
When the first anniversary of the mass killings was observed at the same site last year, Norwegian King Harald V joined Stoltenberg to lay a ring of flower wreath, with the queen, the crown prince and the crown princess standing behind.
But this year, the royal couple attended a special memorial service in the Oslo cathedral church on Monday.
No big concert has been organized either this time in Oslo. Only a short piece of music -- "My Litttle Country" was played by a famous Norwegian musician, Arne Hiorth, at the wreath-laying ceremony in front of the government building.
Flowers are much less too both in Oslo and on the Utoeya island, a sign that life has returned to normal exactly two years after the tragedy which shocked the whole nation.
The Utoeya island is about 40 kilometers west of the Norwegian capital.
Eskil Pedersen, leader of the ruling Labor Party's youth wing AUF, said that the fact that not as many participated in the memorial activities this year does not mean Norwegians have forgotten this tragic day.
"I think a lot of people have this day in their mind and mark it in their own way," said the leader of the AUF, many of the killed on the Utoeya island were its members.
In Pedersen's opinion, it is good that Norway has gone back to normal.
He said, "I do not think people should feel guilty for not marking the July 22 incident in some way today. It's very natural and good that people go back to normal.
While a memorial event was also held on the Utoeya island on Monday afternoon, many cars pulled over and stopped on the roadside opposing the island.
Families and their friends emerged from the cars and walked up to the roadside rock on which flowers, toys, candles and cards are placed in memory of the 69 people shot dead by the Norwegian murderer Anders Bering Breivik, who is serving his prison term of 21 years.
Jan-Erik Wolden travelled from Oslo with his three grandchildren, who he said were near the bombing site that tragic day and traumatized by the terrible scene. For the last three winters, they could not sleep peacefully, he said, adding that he hates the perpetrator.
"I would never mention his name again. He is a completely crazy person and well, I am not supposed to say that, but it would much better for mankind if one of the policemen on the island, by mistake, has shot him down immediately."
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