The « European Front » initiative to hold a supervisory debate on the investigation into the tragedy in Kocani did not pass

Today’s Parliamentary Committee on the Political System and Inter -Community Relations did not pass the « European Front » initiative to hold a supervisory debate on the investigation into the tragedy in Kocani. Four members of the European Front and SDSM political parties voted for the initiative.

VMRO-DPMNE MPs and Vlan said that they did not vote did not mean they were against holding a supervisory debate, but also for all other previous tragedies as a Tetovo modular hospital, Besa Trans…. They emphasized that while there is an active investigation into the case in Kocani, the Parliament would not be good to hold an oversight debate that, as they stressed, it would be to put pressure and interference in this process. They emphasized that those who have blocked and did not make a quorum in the Inquiry Committee in the last term to discuss the tragedies of the modular hospital and Besa Trans to ask to discuss the tragedy in Kocani.

SDSM member lawmakers stressed that it was not time to collect political points in such tragedies where life had been killed 61 and about 200 injured. Lawmakers from the European Front said that the need to hold a supervisory debate was not voted on by the government shows, as they said, that the voice of the people was not.

The Kocani Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office yesterday submitted to the Basic Court in Kocani a proposal for precautionary measures for the last 19 suspect to extend the investigation into the fire in the Kocani discotheque « Pulse », the prosecution said. The number of suspects in the Pulse Club in Kocani reached 52 natural and three legal entities after the prosecution expanded the investigation with 19 more. Of the new suspects, three are economics ministers, three authorized building inspectors in the municipality of Kocani, three directors of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (SSO), one General Inspector in the SSO, three officials in the Ministry of Economy, two state secretaries in the Ministry of Economy and four market inspectors. The incumbent Minister of Economy is not covered by the investigation, as the prosecution has so far had no evidence that it has been requested to extend the license of the Pulse Club facility in Kocani.

Of the new suspects, three were economics ministers, three authorized building inspectors in the municipality of Kocani, three directors of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (SSO), one General Inspector in the SSO, three officials in the Ministry of Economy, two State Secretaries in the Ministry of Economy and four market inspectors. The incumbent Minister of Economy is not covered by the investigation, as the prosecution has so far had no evidence that it has been requested to extend the license of the Pulse Club facility in Kocani.

Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said in a statement to the media yesterday that the investigation into the tragedy in Kocani was not over, noting that a report by the Ministry of Interior had been filed against everyone for whom there was evidence that was found to be caused by evidence of a criminal case. According to him, the Ministry of Interior is not spared by an investigation that covers the period from 2012 to the present.

Following Saturday’s action for the detention of new suspects and expansion of the investigation, the Kocani Basic Court accepted the prosecution’s request yesterday and ordered a 30-day detention for four persons, for six house arrest in accordance with Article 163 and precautionary measures in accordance with Article 146 of the Criminal Code, hours up to 72 hours. All, as well as the previous investigation, are suspected of « serious offenses against general security » under Article 292 in connection with Article 288 of the Criminal Code, but it is not excluded that there are charges after other crimes if the team of public prosecutors conducting the investigation assessed it.

According to State Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski, at a press conference yesterday, an investigation into 45 natural and three legal entities has been launched. One of the individuals in the meantime died and the investigation will be suspended against him. In addition, there is also an investigation against seven police officers.

Regarding the responsibility of the local authorities, based on the investigative actions so far, in addition to the three Kocani mayors who are already suspected, the prosecution has raised a reasonable suspicion of a possible responsibility of three authorized municipal building inspectors, who have acted contrary to their competences and authority and authorizations on the law. For years he has been illegally converted from a light industry facility in a catering facility without any security standards.

In the framework of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, in addition to the previously suspected director, an investigation was launched for three more people in the same post, including the current director, as well as the General Inspector in the Directorate who was in that position during the entire period of the club’s functioning.

In addition to the previously suspected Minister of Economy, Secretary of State and three more managerial officials, three more people are now newly suspected who served as Minister of Economy, two secretaries of secretaries and three other officials in the departments of catering and tourism.

From the point of view of the State Market Inspectorate, investigative actions to this point, besides three already suspects, according to the prosecution, point to reasonable suspicions of four more market inspectors who were responsible for inspecting the proper application of applicable laws and bylaws.

In the fire on March 16 this year at the Pulse disco in Kocani, 61 people were killed and about 200 young people were injured. Nine people are treated in hospitals throughout Skopje and 48 abroad. Experts from England and our doctors are preparing a protocol for the clinical picture of patients from the tragedy in Kocani.

The Parliamentary Committee on the Political System and Inter -Community Relations will hold another session today, whose agenda is the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Assessment, in second reading.