Skopje, 21 March 2025 (MIA) - The Ministry of Transport has no jurisdiction over the Kochani nightclub facility, because the ministry is in charge of A-category facilities, not B-category ones, in line with the Law on Decentralization, said Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski on Friday.

"The facility was built in 1999, categorized as light non-polluting industry and used as a textile factory and then as a warehouse for a certain period. A 50m2 section was added later and legalized in accordance with the Law on legalization of unlawfully constructed buildings in 2011. Therefore, everything related to the urban planning aspect has been observed," Minister Nikoloski told a press conference.

According to him, the problem came up when the interior of the facility was adapted and refurbished without any approval. The law specifies that the Ministry of Economy should have checked, within three working days, the findings in the statements of the license applicant that the facility meets the minimum required standards.

"I believe the law should be changed because of the need for much stricter control. The current provision leaves for a broad interpretation. The problem is that the law is relying on the conscience of the applicant, who guarantees before a notary public that all requirements have been met, whereas the notary public has no way of verifying this," noted Nikolovski.

He added that the State Market Inspectorate neither has the capacity nor the knowledge to go into all aspects of a facility's functionality and therefore, "a portion of the amendments will be focused on this aspect."

MIA file photo