North Macedonia’s Ministry of Interior is facing harsh criticism over its handling of a tragic fire at the “Pulse” nightclub, which claimed the lives of around 60 young people. In a scathing opinion piece, former Interior Minister Ljubomir D. Frčkoski accused the ministry and its leadership of failing to prevent the disaster and attempting to shift blame.
According to Frčkoski, the ministry neglected several crucial responsibilities. “Had the Ministry fulfilled its legal obligations, the tragedy could have been prevented, or at least its consequences drastically reduced,” he wrote.
Among the failures he outlined were:
Inadequate Security Measures: The Ministry failed to provide police presence inside the venue to manage potential incidents, despite being informed in advance about the event’s scale. “It’s standard procedure for gatherings of this size — 500 young people in a confined space — to have officers present to assess risks and intervene if necessary,” Frčkoski stated.
Lack of Emergency Preparedness: Fire trucks and ambulances were not stationed near the venue, another routine measure for high-risk events.
Failure to Regulate Pyrotechnics: Most critically, the Ministry did not issue a special permit for the use of pyrotechnic devices, the alleged cause of the fire. “They didn’t even consider it,” Frčkoski asserted.
He also criticized the Minister of Interior for his response to the incident. “Watching the Minister display arrogance when he should be accepting political responsibility for his ministry’s inaction is nauseating,” he wrote.
The article further dismissed debates about the nightclub’s license validity as misleading. “Even if the club had a valid license, it could not legally host an event of this magnitude without additional inspections and approvals — responsibilities that lie directly with the Ministry.”
Frčkoski concluded by calling for the Minister’s resignation, declaring that the administration’s handling of the tragedy would forever mark its legacy. “Your press conferences should be attended by journalists with their backs turned,” he added.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the blaze, and public outrage continues to grow as questions about accountability remain unanswered.
