English
The Parliament held a session today of the Committee for protection of human rights, and its agenda was to review the petition of the families who lost loved ones in the Kocani nightclub disaster. The session, which included top state officials – President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, began with a minute of silence.
Commission chairman Dimitar Apasiev from Levica informed at the beginning of the session that, in addition to other competencies, the Commission has the authority to review citizens’ letters and take positions on them. Marija Petrusova, representative of the association “March 16th 2025 Kochani”, emphasized that their request is for this case to be considered as a serious violation of human rights, with special emphasis on the right to life.
We are here not only to mourn for our children, but also to demand justice for them. We cannot remain indifferent, as those who were tasked with guarding our lives do. Our children are dead due to their negligence, corruption and inability to fulfill their basic duties, and many others remain exposed to the same dangerous system. This tragedy is not just because of a wrongly ignited spark, but a consequence of systemic failures that threaten the most basic right – the right to life, safety and justice. What we have experienced is not just institutional inefficiency – it is a systemic danger for all citizens. Our demands are: immediate and full institutional support for all families of those who died in the fire in Kocani, a clear and official response to the reasons for the prolonged delay and complete inaction of the institutions, setting specific deadlines for completing all procedures related to support, reviewing all remaining points of the already submitted request. The government has a legal, moral and human obligation to act clearly, fairly and responsibly. To show care, solidarity and sensitivity towards the families who have suffered an irreparable loss. Our children deserve it. Our pain deserves it, said Petrusova.
She emphasizes that instead of a quick and thorough investigation, as she said, they were met with delays, political calculations and selective prosecution.
Instead of all those responsible being in custody, we – in our greatest pain – are forced to seek and beg the state to prosecute the guilty. The promises that “no one will be spared” have remained just empty words. Today we see that only those “at the bottom” are being processed, while the officials – who are equally responsible – and who should have been behind bars from the first moment, continue to move carelessly around the city, while our children lie in the ground. And one more remark – we have noticed that the investigation includes former ministers of economy, the state secretary at the Ministry of Economy and the director of the State Market Inspectorate, it is incomprehensible to us for what reasons the investigation does not include current officials in the same positions, as well as former and current officials from all competent institutions for issuing permits, consents, approvals and supervision for the discotheque. Therefore, we believe that it is necessary for you to review our case and determine that: the state has dramatically failed in the face of corruption and crime, and the sense of security has been lost for every ordinary citizen – while the “big ones” remain above the law, said Petrusova.
VMRO-DPMNE representative Ivanka Vasilevska addressed the parents and said that both the members of Parliament and the parents want to find out the truth about the tragedy and demand responsibility for it.
Our hearts are with you all the time. That is why we are all here today – to tell you that we will not allow you to be abused or manipulated. I want to warn you not only as a mother and sister, but also as a member of Parliament and a law professor that what we have gathered here for today will not achieve the desired goal. You should know that the format of this Commission and everything that will be said here will not have any legal basis for holding accountable. However, it can only serve to exempt from accountability those who participated in this terrible tragedy, said Vasilevska. The Parliament is due to set up a specialized Commission that will review this case, as well as several other recent disasters that led to a mass loss of life. Vasilevska read a letter from chief state prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski, noting that that three separate cases are underway regarding the tragedy in Kocani – including one that is already on trial.
The session included heated exchanges, between Apasiev and Vasilevska, over Apasiev’s runnning of the Commission.
Prime Minister Mickoski expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the young victims and pledged that the Government will continue to support the survivors and the families. “We were all present to hear the discussions of the Kocani families and activists. This dispels the lies of the opposition that we do not pay attention to the families, as the truth is very different”, Mickoski said.
