Skopje, 21 March 2025 (MIA) - The Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Kochani has ordered an investigation overnight against 27 individuals and three legal entities regarding the catastrophic fire in Kochani, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of North Macedonia.

The details of the investigation, the suspects, and the proposed precautionary measures will be announced Friday at noon during a press conference in outside the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Kochani.

Earlier, the Basic Court in Kochani decided to impose a 30-day detention on 13 individuals, including Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi. The court will rule later today on six additional suspects who had been in 48-hour detention.

The police and Prosecutor’s Office conducted an operation late Thursday to detain individuals suspected of involvement in the fire. Prior to detention of the three former mayors, the investigation activities had involved 28 individuals.

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 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, Strumica and Skopje.

Photo: EPA/MIA