Parliament debates Minister Toskovski’s interpellation

The debate on the interpellation of Interior Minister Pance Toskovski, submitted by the Levica caucus, continued this afternoon. As in the morning part of the debate, requests for Toskovski’s resignation were made, which was pointed out, it was crucial for justice to come to light.

In a procedural remark, Borislav Krmov from Levica accused the debate that the break requested by VMRO-DPMNE parliamentary group coordinator Nikola Micevski to hold a meeting of Toskovski with the parents of the dead in Kocani.

SDSM’s Slavjanka Petrovska asked Toskovski if he was still convinced that he should not resign.

– The tragedy in Kocani is true that it is the result of systemic flaws, but the system, colleagues, has a name and surname or names and surnames on the day of the tragedy. On the day of the tragedy you Minister personally and part of the leadership of the Ministry of Interior you have shown that you are not the right and law, but on the basis of brother, cousin, party friend and party order. You protected those who were first and broke the police law. A police officer who retired three years ago is to blame for what happened but not the current chiefs before resolving them – Petrovska said, accusing Toskovski of « contaminating and hampering », as he said, the investigation is selective.

Petrovska said that Toskovski’s mandate had increased during the number of killings, and among other things, he also criticized that there were no results with the drastic measures he had announced to improve the traffic situation, which he announced.

Minister Toskovski, in response to Petrovska, expressed regret that, he said, « you are constantly abusing anger, especially the families of the tragically dead ». He denied that the killings had been increased after he was a minister and said there were two less than 2023 and 2024 this year.

Toskovski’s resignation also demanded DUI’s Rina Ajdari, who accused of an ethnic investigation, which was also dismissed by Toskovski, who said 49 people were Macedonians, 10 were Albanians, two were Bosniaks, one Roma.

Idari said in a replica that today’s court decisions on the fire investigation, former Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi remains in custody and former mayors under house arrest.

Jovana Mojsovska from Levica asked for answers why operative action in the disco began at 1.30am when the testimonies of some of the police officers entered at 2.30am shortly before the fire, accusing no suspected police officer.

In a replica, Toskovski said that 16 police officers have been indicted so far, one of whom is a current police officer. You have a legitimate right to raise questions, but remember that there is a difference in how it was handled before, and as now, there were no reports of former accidents. Do not attack the police officers, one died, and one lost his child, the investigation is still going on and I assure you that anyone who has guilt will respond, Toskovski said.

Replicit Mojsovska said he did not blame the entire police but, as she said, corrupt chiefs and police officers who did not see the disco is working on wild without equipment.

At the beginning of the debate, Minister Toskovski said that he was not afraid of responsibility and that he remains in office to face the truth and to clarify all the dilemmas. He referred to all points of the interpellation, including the tragic event at the Kocani discotheque, stressing that in this case the MoI had not made a failure. He emphasized that the license for the Pulse discotheque was forged, and in terms of pyrotechnics, he emphasized that the MoI is working in accordance with the law.

Toskovski pointed out that institutions are taking measures for all open cases, including marijuana theft in Karbinci, abuse of official documents by a police member, and protests related to the Church case in Galate. He dismissed claims of an ethnic sign and accused certain structures in DUI and SDSM of attempting to destabilize.

– All we have seen is a false labeling. We need to keep us the obligation to tell the truth and defend justice. I don’t run away, I’m not silent, I’m not hiding. I remain here with the whole weight of the obligation I carry. Every day this institution will be committed to your pain not just a mute witness to the unforgettable. Changes are here, responsibility is felt, justice is a reality – said Toskovski, rejecting all accusations and stressing that the MoI is working professionally, without selection and under full coordination with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The interpellation, Levica MP Sasko Jancev explained, is based on ten grounds, five of which are directly linked to the tragic accident in Kocani in which 62 people were killed and nearly 200 injured.

According to Levica, the Ministry of Interior failed by agreeing to the facility that it was eligible for the protection of public order and peace, plus traffic safety as in its own responsibilities for working hours, loudness and noise, the presence of minors after midnight, alcohol and drug use.

– None of this is over. If it were over, the disco would not exist – Jancev said. The remaining five grounds for the interpellation relate to arrested citizens in Gostivar who were cleaning up a church, not being ignored by the Macedonian flag during the celebration of the Albanian flag day, the theft of marijuana, which was guarded by the police, for the case of the police, Politics in the ministry filled with nnepotism and crisis.

Interpellation was filed against the interior minister in January, along with four more government ministers. The interpellations were then submitted by the European Front led by DUI.