Skopje, 12 March 2026 (MIA) – Tragedies should never be an area of discord. They should be moments of solidarity, humanity and unity, said Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi speaking at Thursday’s commemorative session marking the first anniversary of the nightclub fire in Kochani, which killed 63 people and left nearly 200 injured.

The commemorative session began with a moment of silence in tribute of the 63 fire victims. President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, PM Hristijan Mickoski, MPs, members of the families of those killed in the 2025 fire that broke out in the packed nightclub “Pulse” were in attendance.

This commemorative session, according to Gashi, is not only an institutional formality, but also a joint tribute of the entire country before the lost lives and before the families that keep on carrying the weight of this tragedy. Your pain is the pain of the entire society, they told the parents of the fire victims, and the memory of your loved ones is in all of us and is part of our collective memory.  

“Today, a year later, we gathered here, in this hall, to pay respects to the lives that were lost. We gathered like never before, not as a ruling majority and opposition, not as officials of parties and institutions, but as a society that was deeply wounded. We are here as people sharing the pain of the families to convey a message that they are not alone in their grief. The wave of this grief gripped us all. It brought sadness, shock, solidarity and tensions as well,” said Gashi.

Some nights, he added, end as usual, some leave behind memories, but also there are those that never end. There are mornings that offer hope and fresh strength, and there are dark mornings that quell hope and cause only pain.

“Such was the morning on March 16, 2025 after the tragic night in Kochani. A night that began with a party, with young people having fun, laughing, making friends, and ended with cries, injuries and pain that cut through the heart of the entire country. That night, Kochani and Macedonia didn’t only lose its sons and daughters, it lost a part of its future. An irreversible part of our soul burned that night in Kochani. That night took not only the lives of 63 young people but also the dreams they had,” said Gashi.

Feeling a sense of sorrow and heavy weight of responsibility, he noted, I have the most difficult task of speaking about the tragedy for which it is hard to choose word after one year and it is even harder to speak those words.

“There are moments that even when you choose the words carefully, they never seem enough to express what people are feeling and what they are going through. This is the task I have. Even though the public word is a duty, it has never been so hard especially if you are aware that no sentence is enough to fill the void and to soothe the pain of the families and in the conscience of this society,” stated the Speaker of the Assembly.

Amid the darkest moments of the country, he noted, we also saw the brightest side of our society.

“We saw how the strength of humanity shines, the comfort of solidarity and sincere support. During the days of mourning, a book of condolences was opened in Parliament and hundreds of citizens came in silence to write a few words about those who are no longer with us.”

“The human example soothed the pain of the entire country for a little bit at least. We saw doctors and nurses working day in, day out to save lives. Firemen and policemen that acted with courage. The Red Cross together with the citizens and volunteers that donated blood and offered urgent help to the families. This solidarity had no political, ethnic or religious colours,” said Gashi.

The memory of the Kochani victims should live in each and every one of us, according to him.

“Perhaps it is the best way to remember them and to pay them respects so as to prevent such events from every happening again and not to allow even a single family to experience such pain,” said Gashi. 

Tragedies such as this one, he added, show us that the accountability of the institutions is greater than we thought and that justice is far more important than we thought. 

“It is indispensable for the competent institution, the public prosecution office, courts, the Interior Ministry and all law enforcement bodies to be engaged with professionalism, independently and completely transparently. Justice shouldn’t be rushed to have political effect nor delayed. Only justice and truth can offer some comfort to the families and the society,” Gashi stated.

He called on the judiciary to do its job professionally allowing the case to pinpoint the mistakes and those who contributed to the tragedy. 

“It is the only way to soothe the pain of those who lost loved ones, which also serves as a lesson that no one is exempted from observing the law,” concluded Gashi. 

On behalf of the assembly, on his personal behalf and on behalf of all the citizens he thanked for the support, commitment and empathy stressing that the tragedy “is the last alarm for all political and social stakeholders.” 

Photo: Parliament