Indictment for 34 persons and three legal entities for the fire in Kocani

All 34 individuals and three legal entities accused of fire at the Pulse disco in Kocani where 62 people were killed, including six children, are burdened with severe offenses against general security. Among the defendants are local owners, managers, inspectors, mayors, security members and civil servants. Due to lack of enough evidence, the procedure is stopped for 11 people, including two former ministers.

-Today, the Basic Court in Kocani has filed an indictment against 34 individuals and three legal entities for crimes that jointly with participation in the action of committing a crime or with other particular contribution to the commission of the crime, caused a significant danger to the life and body of the people and the property of a large scale of 16. The catering facility Club Pulse Kocani where 62 people were killed in the fire, with severe bodily injuries and 54 more injuries. The defendants committed the crime with a conscious failure to do according to the regulations and technical rules for protection, and some of them with a direct general asset and action that caused the fire-said Republican Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski at today’s press conference in Jorsm.

Kocevski informed that due to the lack of evidence the procedure stops for 11 people, one is dead, and one defendant has a suspension due to health.

The investigation found that three defendants responsible, owners and managers of the legal entity Production, Trade and Services Company Classic DM DOO Kocani with Kabare Pulse Kocani, ie Production, Trade, Services and Catering Company MMMM Cafe DOOEL Kocani, on minimal-technical conditions and with reconstruction without permission.

-The first defendant in the period of 2012 and 2024 has repeatedly taken construction actions that have reconstructed the facility, with uncontrolled without professional supervision incorporating inappropriate materials-synthetic, polymeric materials and polyurethane sponge and other ones that are affected by a rapid and rapid. Minimum technical conditions nor basic standards and requirements for fire protection and safety and fire protection to carry catering activity. Practically, no regulation on the quality of the built -in materials, the loads and stability of the constructive elements, the number and size of the evacuation outputs, the number of parking spaces, partitions of the facility, but also in terms of prediction, disposal and use of appropriate devices and installations, and other fire supply equipment and fire equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment and fire equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment and fire equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire supply equipment, and other fire and installations, was practically respected in the facility, and the size of the. -Kocevski is educated.

He added that the defendant the owner of the facility in which the club was operating intentionally helped by allowing and participating in construction activities for catering activity, although he knew that the facility in his possession had no such permissible purpose nor as the owner had filed a rehabilitation.

The brother of the first defendant, who sold tickets above the permitted capacity and allowed juveniles, was also indicted, contrary to the legal rules of safety and protection.

In the case, the owner and legal entity from Kocani is also charged, through which in 2012, at the request of the first defendant, contrary to Article 47 of the Law on Construction, a project for conversion of the facility where not all phases or parts and elaborations must be contained in the request.

-In 2023, again illegal, she prepared a basic project, using the previous document as a template, changing the cover as if the document was prepared in 2023, so that the accused and investor MMM Cafe DOOEL Kocani further illegally used the document as a basis for the document.

-All these conditions required the Agency to prepare a plan for securing a public order of an entertaining event with the presence of a larger number of visitors and to hire more security workers, and such a plan was not prepared and submitted to the competent authority of the area where the event was held. On the critical day, they did not control and allow the entry and presence of minors in the facility after midnight, and also did not prevent the intake and use of explosive substances- pyrotechnical means by members of the DNA music group that caused the fire- Kocevski said.

The Law on Inspection Supervision, the Law on Organization and Work of the State Administration Bodies, the Law on State Market Inspectorate, as well as the Law on Catering, as well as the Rulebook on Minimal – Technical Conditions for Catering Activity, although they were aware that due to their non -commitment, it could be harmful. Their omissions individually during the period in which the inspectors did not act are detailed in the indictment and appropriate evidence will be presented for each of them- said Kocevski.

All of these actions, as he concluded, and the execution, and the conscious failure of a legal obligation, are unbreakable and complemented one another directly to the consequence, and the conscious ignorance of security procedures from many individuals and institutions have contributed to the extremely difficult consequences and the inability to prevent tragedy.

« Each of these links had the power and legal responsibilities to prevent the tragedy or to reduce the potential for the loss of lives, but no one did it, » Kocevski said.

The Ministry of Economy, which has been discovered and bribery actions, will also be responsible for a crime – receiving a bribe under Art. 357 para.1, one crime – receiving a bribe under Article 357 paragraph 4 VV. with paragraph 1 and one crime – forging an official document under Art. 361 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

Defendants has been charged with a crime – causing general danger to Article 288 para.5 c. 3 c. P.2 of the Criminal Code.