Skopje, 16 March 2025 (MIA) – The Public Prosecutor’s Office will request short-term detention for 10 individuals for which it has secured evidence showing potential responsibility for last night’s fire in a nightclub in Kochani, chief prosecutor Ljupcho Kocevski told journalists on Sunday evening.

During today’s inspections on the ground, according to Kocevski, the public prosecutors have noted a series of shortcomings in the building: the lack of a hydrant network; only two fire extinguishers; a door at the back of the building which was locked and had no handle on the inside; the building was illegally covered with highly flammable noise-cancelling materials and materials for visual effects. Pyrotechnics were also illegally used in the building, and the building itself was registered as a corporate building for light industry.

“Despite the fact the building wasn’t registered as a hospitality building, it possesses a license from the Ministry of Economy to operate as a hospitality building issued 15 years ago,” Kocevski said.

Kocevski also noted that no written contract existed for the holding of the concert.

Over 20 people were interviewed on Sunday, said the chief prosecutor, confirming that former Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi was among those interviewed.

Inspections on the ground are not yet completed and will continue on Monday, said Kocevski.

Kocevski said work is underway on activities to determine criminal responsibility for several individuals for grave crimes against the general safety, as well as founded suspicions of other crimes, which is why the Prosecutor’s Office will propose a short-term detention measure.

The fire at the nightclub in Kochani claimed the lives of 59 people and left 155 injured.

Photo: MIA Archive