KOCANI, North Macedonia — In Kocani, North Macedonia, municipal workers were seen preparing graves on Tuesday for the many young lives lost in a devastating nightclub fire. As the community mourns, protests have erupted across the country. Authorities reported that the fire, which broke out in the eastern town early on Sunday, was due to the use of indoor pyrotechnics and a slew of safety infractions at the venue, resulting in 59 deaths and over 150 injuries during a live performance.
The tragic incident has ignited a wave of anger concerning alleged corruption and bribery linked to the safety breaches at the nightclub. Excavators have been deployed to create rows of graves in Kocani, where the town is preparing for the funerals of the young villagers whose bodies are still undergoing identification.
“It’s horrifying; I haven’t stopped crying for days,” expressed Dragi Ignjatov, a local resident. “We’ve lost the children of our friends. Nothing can be more tragic for both our city and Macedonia.”
On Tuesday evening, solidarity rallies took place, where thousands gathered in Skopje, the capital, to support the grieving families. Participants held up candles and illuminated their phones as they stood in unity.
Pensioner Zoran Jovanovski expressed hope that the catastrophe would lead to anti-corruption reforms. “It’s a challenging solution. There needs to be a change in mentality…an overhaul in handling this country,” he commented.
Government officials have urged calm after previous demonstrations turned violent, with protesters in Kocani damaging municipal property and a cafeteria with alleged ties to the nightclub. Investigations indicate the venue admitted twice its permitted 250-person capacity without proper licensing and failed to meet numerous safety requirements. These violations included the absence of emergency exits, inadequate fire safety equipment, the use of flammable materials, and no sprinkler system. In the chaos, many were trampled attempting to escape through the sole exit.
In a show of international empathy, Serbia and Bulgaria instituted a day of mourning on Tuesday as a tribute to North Macedonia’s tragedy. Medical experts from countries like the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Israel have arrived to aid in the medical treatment of the injured, according to health ministry officials. Additionally, the European Union has been instrumental in transporting burn victims to neighboring countries.
Approximately 50 patients with severe burn injuries are receiving care primarily in countries near North Macedonia. This disaster has intensified the focus on the problem of corruption within the country, previously highlighted by the EU as a significant barrier to Macedonia’s ascension into the Union. Authorities are actively probing allegations that the nightclub’s proprietors bribed officials to bypass safety regulations.
In response, a mandate has been issued for comprehensive inspections of entertainment venues nationwide. Meanwhile, in Greece, diplomats from North Macedonia, including the foreign and health ministers, visited a hospital tending to three severely burned patients aged 19, 25, and 26.
Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski described the fire as “the most tragic moment in my nation’s history.” Addressing the press in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, he reflected: “This tragedy will haunt our memories forever. However, we must also remember the outpouring of solidarity we have received.”