A fire broke out early on Sunday at a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, killing 59 people and injuring more than 155, officials said.
In response, North Macedonia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to request assistance for evacuating 15 patients with severe burns. The EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre contacted North Macedonian civil protection authorities shortly after the incident to offer support.
Nine European countries — Croatia, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Lithuania, Hungary, Luxembourg and Norway — swiftly responded with offers of assistance via the mechanism. Several patients have already been evacuated to Hungary with Luxembourg’s support, while Romania is coordinating the transport of patients to Lithuania. The EU is now overseeing the transfer of additional patients to countries that have offered medical treatment.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and all those affected,” said Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality. “The EU stands in solidarity with the people of North Macedonia at this difficult time. I thank European countries for quickly offering treatment and assistance to the victims via our Civil Protection Mechanism.”
The EU remains in close contact with North Macedonian authorities and stands ready to mobilize further assistance if required.
