Skopje, 20 March 2025 (MIA) - The Government of North Macedonia urged media outlets that published videos and photos from the funerals of the victims of the nightclub fire in Kochani contrary to the published guidelines to remove them and to stop sharing them. 

“In these difficult moments, we reiterate our appeal to the press who attended today’s funeral for the victims of the tragic fire that broke out at the nightclub in Kochani to stick to the ethical principles,” the Government said.

The Government said most media outlets have not published photographs and videos from the families of the victims and urged those who have to stick to the principles of ethical reporting.

“The sensitivity of the tragedy and the personal pain of the families should not be a target of sensationalism, emotional narratives, photographs and videos at this moment. We urge the media to respect the privacy and dignity of the families and to avoid at all costs causing personal distress or distress to the public with their reporting. We would like to reiterate our appeal to the media to report checked facts, to avoid speculation and disinformation, and to respect the privacy of the families and the victims,” the Government said in the press release.

Photo: MIA Archive