Skopje, 10 June 2025 (MIA) - One of the latest attempts at manipulation by the opposition is the claim that the investigation has concluded and information has not been made available to the public, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said on Tuesday evening, speaking about the investigation into the deadly fire at the “Pulse” nightclub in Kochani.

“The investigation by the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Kochani has formally concluded. However, this does not mean that if new evidence related to a specific crime is found it will not be processed against perpetrators, potential suspects of future defendants, where concrete evidence exists – such as the previously mentioned fictitious owner, who was actually linked to the legal entity responsible for securing the nightclub. That is one fact. The second is that the opposition’s lie that the investigation is completely finished. This is not true. The investigation led by the Basic Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecuting Organized Crime and Corruption is still ongoing and has not been completed,” Toshkovski said in an interview for the national broadcaster MRT.

Based on his information, he said a huge amount of evidence has been collected in the investigation.

“The opposition’s claim that current officials are not being held accountable, which they are trying hard to impose on the public, is incorrect. One current minister has been named as a suspect as part of this procedure. While former officials are being suspected, a current minister is also under investigation. It is a fact that the investigation also includes former directors, as well as the current director of the Protection and Rescue Directorate. It is a fact that as part of the procedure we have former mayors as suspects, but it is also a fact that a sitting mayor is suspected,” Toshkovski said.

The Interior Minister also described as lies the claims that current police officials aren’t being prosecuted. He added that he remains in constant communication with some of the families of the victims, but said he wouldn’t want to use that for PR.

“What I can do as minister, and what I have a duty to do, I will do, but I won’t profit from it for media purposes. There were many talks, many constructive talks with the parents,” Toshkovski said.

The fire that broke out at the “Pulse” nightclub on March 16 claimed the lives of 62 people and left nearly 200 injured.

MIA file photo