A court in Kocani has approved the Prosecution’s request for a 48-hour detention of 14 suspects in connection with the deadly fire at the “Pulse” nightclub, including former Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi and former State Market Inspectorate Director Goran Trajkovski, Kocani’s Basic Court told MIA on Tuesday.
Some of the suspects face charges of “serious crimes against public safety” under Article 292 of the Criminal Code. Investigators are also probing allegations of bribery and the illegal procurement of pyrotechnics.
The short-term detention measure, under Article 170 of the Criminal Procedure Code, allows prosecutors to keep suspects in custody beyond the initial 24-hour police detention period without launching a formal investigation. This procedure is applied in complex cases requiring extensive evidence collection. The measure can be extended once, for a total of 96 hours.
If formal charges are filed, prosecutors can request regular detention, replacing the short-term measure.
Document examination
Authorities are investigating potential misconduct in issuing licenses, permits, and approvals for the nightclub. Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said the public would be “shocked” once the investigation reveals the extent of alleged bribery and corruption.
“When the public sees the sums of money involved and how documents were issued illegally, against all rules and regulations, they’ll be appalled,” Toshkovski told Sitel TV.
Investigators are scrutinizing the actions of officials from the Ministries of Economy and Interior, the State Market Inspectorate, the State Labor Inspectorate, the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, as well as private entities authorized to approve safety documentation.
The Prosecution has ordered a search of Economy Ministry servers and a forensic examination of signatures on key documents.
A nationwide inspection of cabarets, nightclubs, and discos is set to begin, with authorities promising further details soon.
Mourning the victims
Kocani Mayor Ljupcho Papazov resigned on Monday following protests by angry residents. Demonstrators targeted a café owned by the same proprietor as the “Pulse” nightclub, damaging the premises. A local priest urged calm, inviting residents to pray for the victims at the church.
Papazov announced measures to support the victims’ families, including expanding the municipal cemetery, providing free burial plots and funeral services, and setting up a donation fund with three million denars (€48,700) from the municipal budget.
In a somber scene captured by Reuters, bulldozers were seen digging graves for the fire victims in a designated section of the cemetery.
Neighboring Serbia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina declared a day of mourning, while Bulgaria’s Patriarch Danilo held a memorial service for the deceased. Croatian media reported that two injured victims were transported to Zagreb’s Trauma Clinic for treatment early Tuesday morning.
