Parents: Prosecution found contradictions in expert Petre Ruseski’s testimony
Relatives welcomed the Prosecution’s cross‑examination, saying it raised serious questions about the expert’s credibility; no representative of Venci Project attended the hearing.
After several hearings, testimony and cross-examination of the defence's expert witness, Petre Ruseski, concluded today. Ruseski maintained that the Puls nightclub was built according to technical documentation and that the condition of the venue was not the cause of the fire. He added that there was no suspended ceiling.
Ruseski told the court: "The building was from the very beginning designed and constructed for commercial use, which according to the Law on Construction makes it the same type of building even after its adaptation into a nightclub. There was no suspended ceiling, but decorative shapes, i.e., a load-bearing structure for lighting and a screen."
The Prosecution had previously challenged Ruseski's appointment as an expert, saying he is accused of giving false testimony in another case; Ruseski said he does not consider there to be grounds for his disqualification.
Relatives of the children who died in the Kočani nightclub expressed support for the Prosecution after the cross‑examination in earlier hearings, saying the questioning raised serious doubts about the credibility of the defence expert's account.
Parents demand clarity, trial set to resume
Aleksandar Naunov, speaking for the parents, said: "In a courtroom where responsibility for lost human lives is decided, there must be no room for relativizing the facts, for selective interpretation of the evidence, or for attempts to present the truth differently from what actually happened. Therefore, this approach by the Prosecution deserves support, with the expectation that the same consistency, determination and professionalism will continue until the tragedy is fully clarified. But behind all legal arguments, expert reports, evidence and court hearings stands an immeasurable human pain."
No representative from the company Venci Project, which carried out works on the building, attended the hearing; the court and the Prosecution said the company's representatives had work obligations. The trial will continue on 3 November 2026.
Photo: press material from the event
