Skopje, 21 March 2025 (MIA) – The Basic Court in Kochani has ordered 30-day detention for 13 people, including former minister of economy Kreshnik Bekteshi, in connection with the 'Pulse' nightclub fire case.  

The court is to reach a decision later in the day for six more suspects, against whom short-term detention of 48 hours was previously ordered. 

As part of the ongoing investigation into the Kochani nightclub fire, the police and Prosecutor’s Office conducted an operation late Thursday to detain individuals suspected of involvement.

According to preliminary information, the former mayors of Kochani, Ratko Dimitrovski, Nikolcho Iliev and Ljupcho Papazov have been detained.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that it will share details today about the police operation conducted by order of the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Kochani.

Previously, a pre-trial judge also ordered short-term detention of 48 hours for former director of the State Market Inspectorate, Goran Trajkovski.

The investigation, prior to the arrest of the three former mayors, included 28 people.

The Skopje-based Criminal Court ordered Wednesday a 30-day detention for seven police officers from Shtip and Kochani, suspected of grave crimes against general safety, related to issuance of compliances for the operation of the 'Pulse' nightclub in Kochani. Officers, as officials at the Shtip and Kochani police, enabled the legal entity to acquire a license for a cabaret, by drafting, signing and providing a positive opinion, even though the building did not meet the legal conditions for that.

The deadly fire at the 'Pulse' nightclub in Kochani killed 59 people aged 16 to 48 and injured around 200 other. Funerals for the victims of the fire were held on Thursday in Kochani, Shtip, Obleshevo and Skopje.

Photo: MIA archive