site.btaNorth Macedonia Commemorates 62 Youths Killed in Kocani Fire Six Months Ago

Commemorative marches were held in three cities in the Republic of North Macedonia, Kocani, Stip, and Skopje, in memory of 62 young people who lost their lives six months ago in the fire at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani.

The march in Kocani, which passed through the Park to the Revolution, the Primary Court, the Police Station, and the Public Revenue Office, was organized by the March 16, 2025 – Kocani civic association.

“This march is a symbol of our shared pain, but also our powerful message: we must never again allow such a tragedy to happen. Stop manipulation and corruption that cost innocent lives!” read the statement from the parents of the victims, local media reported.

In the Park to the Revolution in Kocani and Freedom Square in Stip, participants lit candles in memory of the 62 victims.

In Skopje, hundreds of citizens gathered in silence, holding up their phone flashlights to create a symbolic starry sky in tribute to the lost young lives. Attendees were invited to write down messages, thoughts, and words of support and sympathy for the families of the victims and those injured in the Kocani tragedy.

“Everyone involved in the operation of the Pulse nightclub must be held accountable. We are here to remind the authorities that the public won’t forgive this. Today, our silence is filled with sorrow and anger, but starting tomorrow, we will be silent no more. How long must we wait for justice? This is the greatest tragedy we have ever witnessed, in which many of my peers lost their lives,” Anastasia Pavlovska, a member of the Who’s Next initiative, which organized the gathering, said.

Six months after the tragedy in Kocani, the trial has yet to begin. Charges for serious offenses against public safety have been filed against 34 individuals and three legal entities.

On September 5, an indictment was also submitted against the owner of Rubicon Security Solution, the company providing security for the club. He is accused of allowing the use of pyrotechnics inside the closed venue, which prosecutors say sparked the fire, as well as for allowing underage individuals inside after midnight and failing to provide a security plan.

The tragedy occurred on the night of March 16 to 17, when a fire broke out at the nightclub. According to the prosecution, the cause was pyrotechnics used at a concert by the popular band DNK, which ignited highly flammable material on the ceiling. Within minutes, the entire venue was engulfed in flames, and the young attendees were unable to escape through the main entrance.

The fire exposed systemic failures in the nightclub’s operations. It lacked sufficient emergency exits, was operating without a valid license, and had not been adequately inspected. The prosecution has launched two investigations: one is still awaiting trial at the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje, and the other concerns police actions on the night of the incident, for which no charges have yet been filed.