Authorities in North Macedonia said they were looking into potential official malfeasance in the case of a catastrophic fire that killed at least 59 people on Monday, while families of victims lamented the loss of loved ones and held a nervous vigil in hospitals.
where the fire started early on Sunday, was using a licensing paperwork that was not authorized, and had no adequate escape routes. According to authorities, pyrotechnics used during a performance set fire to the building’s roof. The fire that raged through the arena injured at least 155 people.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski declared on Sunday, “I will not show mercy,” adding that “after this, no one in Macedonia is not broken and with a destroyed spirit.”
The club, located in Kocani, around 50 miles east of the capital, Skopje, had a licensing paper that had been obtained “for a bribe,” according to Mr. Mickoski, who came to power in June. According to him, the paper was “issued illegally” and included the signatures of past officials and the seal of the economic ministry.
Speaking on North Macedonia’s efforts to eradicate corruption, which the European Commission characterized as a “serious concern” in the nation in a 2024 report, Mr. Mickoski stated, “This is the culmination of a bad, neglected system.”
Even though the building where Club Pulse was located was listed as an industrial facility rather than a place for hospitality, the economics ministry had granted it a hospitality permit.
