Skopje, 14 March 2026 (MIA) - There are events in a country's history that are not measured by time but the pain they leave behind. The Kochani tragedy is one of those events. It was a tragedy of a town but one that shook our country and that will forever be part of the collective memory of our society, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski in the opening remarks of an international conference on the institutional and clinical aspects and solutions after the Kochani fire, held in Skopje on Saturday.

"We are gathered here today with the feeling of deep respect and empathy. Respect for those who perished, respect for the families that carry the pain, respect for the injured who have been courageously fighting to recover over the past year. We are also here because of the feeling of responsibility to remember, learn and create systems that are stronger than the shortcomings that lead to tragedies. This conference is an attempt to turn tragedy into knowledge, experience and lessons into solutions," said PM Mickoski.

A year on from the tragedy, the PM noted, we are obliged to remember and show that the society and the institutions are capable of learning from tragedies and build a stronger, safer and more humane system.

"The Kochani tragedy has left a deep wound in our society. In only one night, lives were lost, destinies changed and pain set off. In those moments, Macedonia stopped. The news of disbelief, fear and sorrow spread fast. Every citizen felt the weight of the event. No politics, no divisions, only silence and feeling of deep concern for the people who fought for their lives. The tragedy hit the families who lost their loved ones to the core. For them, time is measured by memories, the emptiness that remains, and the daily struggle to move on," said Mickoski.

He added that the day of the tragedy was not only his hardest day as PM but the most difficult one in his life.

"It hapenned only eight months after I became PM, resulting from a devastated system that had been wrecked for decades. Who is to blame for all of this? The answer to this question is not up to an ad hoc court or the public, but the prosecution and the courts. But we also must talk about the guilt in creating that failing system created for decades," said Mickoski.

At the same time, he added, the tragedy left the mark of solidarity and that heroes will never be forgotten.

"Heroism is only weapons, muscles and strength, but activism and solidarity as well. Kochani showed there are people who are the silent heroes of our country. These are the doctors and medical teams who worked tirelessly, the citizens who donated blood, the volunteers, the humanitarian organizations. I congratulate you, you will never be forgotten," said Mickoski.

The PM also said the tragedy also showed the aspect of humanity, solidarity, and the feeling that no one should be left alone in the most difficult moments.

"We got international support from our partners and their health systems. Hospitals, doctors and medical teams from a number of European countries opened their doors for our patients. This was a reminder that human solidarity goes beyond borders when times are tough. A year later, this memory is our obligation to preserve the legacy of the victims, to support the families, to continue the fight for the recovery of the injured, and turn this tragedy into a lesson that produces stronger institutions and a safer society," underlined Mickoski.

Photo: MIA