Three days have passed since the long fire at a nightclub in the provincial town of Kotsani in northern Macedonia. Authorities have recognized the corpses of 59 victims. According to the latest report, the injured and burns now reach 196- including 20 minors. 16 suspects have already been detained for illegalities or omissions in terms of construction of the site and incomplete security measures.

After mourning, there is a public debate on responsibility. Northern Macedonian Prime Minister Christian Mitskotsky promises to identify and punish the culprits. “I said it yesterday and I will repeat it,” says Mitskotsky, “we will not show mercy. Whatever it is, whatever ethnicity it belongs to, whatever the political party it belongs to, what happened was worse than a crime. I would say it was a mass murder that one allowed for bribery and corruption. “

‘Illegalities in relation to licensing’

Who does Prime Minister Mitskotsky indicate as responsible? Interior Minister Panchen Tuskovsky argues that they have already testified in the case of 72 witnesses, that the Financial Police are investigating the competent Municipal Authority of Kotsani and that there are suspicions of the Ministry of Finance’s involvement in “illegal licensing activities”. The investigation was undertaken by police officers who have come from Skopje to involve as few local agents as possible.

The fire broke out Sunday morning in the- particularly popular in the youth- Pulse nightclub during a hip hop concert, while hundreds of young people crowded in a confined space. According to the interior ministry, at least 500 people were at the nightclub at that time, and only 250 tickets were officially sold. In addition, the license of the Center was fake and the building did not have the exits provided for by law nor had several fire extinguishers. The prosecutor’s office has begun an investigation into “corruption” and “bribery”. “Immediate and deep incisions are needed in the system,” warns the president of the Student Association, Aleksandar Nicolovsky.

“It could happen to anyone …”

In Kotsani the mayor has resigned on Monday. The world cannot yet capture the magnitude of the destruction and the incompetence of the “authorities”. Mino Gotsevski, a resident of the city, expresses his indignation, speaking to the AP agency. “The problem we have is that we don’t solve any problems,” he says. “They make announcements on paper, talk on television and the next day again … they need radical changes.”

Branko Bogatinov, the father of two children, also expresses sadness and pain. “It’s a tragedy, they were all our children,” he says. “My children are in Germany, all this situation forced them to leave. They have gone to this nightclub, not now, but when they were still students. It could happen to anyone … “

Sources: Aptn, AFP, DPA