Skopje, 3 October 2025 (MIA) — The Skopje Criminal Court's indictment evaluation council has concluded that the Pulse nightclub case is sound, allowing it to go to trial, the Skopje Criminal Court said in a press release Friday.

The charges in the indictment against the Pulse case defendants were evaluated by judges Monika Bahchovanovska, Sofche Gavrilova Efremov and Ilija Trpkov, the release said.

The release also said that a criminal judge has been assigned, through the Automated Court Case Management Information System, to hear the case when it comes to trial.

Stressing that the case has 37 defendants represented by 33 lawyers, the release also said there had been considerable difficulties in serving court papers on several defendants.

Back in July, the Pulse nightclub case was transferred from Kochani to Skopje, after the Supreme Court ruled that the Skopje criminal judges would conduct more efficient court proceedings.

According to the Skopje Criminal Court, the Shtip Appellate Court had filed the motion for transferring the trial due to the insufficient number of criminal judges at the Shtip and Strumica courts.

The Supreme Court then reviewed the motion and ruled to transfer the case considering the courts' "personnel and technical capacities as well as the complexity and public interest into the case." The ruling also "highlighted the need of experienced judges who would provide an efficient, professional and legal procedure."

Business owners, managers, inspectors, mayors, security guards and public officials are indicted in the Pulse nightclub fire case.

In June, the Kochani Public Prosecutor's Office dropped the charges against 11 people, including two former government ministers, for lack of evidence, and brought indictments against 34 individuals and three legal entities on charges of serious crimes against public safety.

On March 16, a fire killed 62 people and injured more than 200 when it tore through Kochani's Pulse nightclub during a DNK concert. mr/