Parents of the deceased in Pulse: This tragedy is a mass murder and endangering human lives and security
The parents of the tragically deceased children in the accident at the Pulse disco in Kocani on March 16, sent a written statement to the public expressing deep pain, but also a common and unambiguous request for a complete legal resolution and responsibility of all those involved and institutions.
– We characterize this tragedy as mass murder and difficult endangering of human lives and security, and we demand that the competent institutions act professionally, impartially and in accordance with applicable laws and international conventions. We are completely dismissed from any political manipulation and we do not allow this tragic event to be used to collect political points from any entity, whether it is from the government or the opposition. We demand that an independent and thorough investigation into all the circumstances related to the event be conducted immediately in order to determine whether all legal norms and regulations on the operation of the facility have been respected. We want to know whether the disco possessed valid work documentation, whether all the necessary controls were carried out by the competent inspection services, and whether it was acted in accordance with the law in the area of urban, construction, sanitary, security and fire standards. It is necessary to determine whether one’s negligence, abuse or illegal action has led to this tragedy – the statement said.
Parents emphasize that they are ready to cooperate with eminent domestic and foreign lawyers who will provide legal support at all stages of the process, including eventual submission of a case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
– We ask for nothing more than justice, but that justice must be non -selective and righteous. We must not allow the lives of our children to remain meaningless in the eyes of the state. There must be responsibility – both for the organizers and managers of the facility and for the institutions that allowed or prevented this disaster. The lives of our children were lost, but it must not be forgotten. We appeal to the prosecution and the police to act without delay, professionally and transparently, and to inform the public about every step in the process. If these institutions do not act accordingly, we will use all available domestic and international legal mechanisms, including submitting a case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg – parents added.
In the statement, parents appeal that the issue of functioning of the institutions and the safety of the citizens is not an individual, but a social problem. They do not require special treatment or political privileges, but that the state does its job honestly and by law.
A new protest « March for the angels » in Kocani is scheduled for Saturday, May 10th, which will begin at 4 pm 5 pm, symbolizing the delayed institutional reaction.
