Kocani parents submit proposals to unblock inquiry committee; parties give no clear response

Parents of the young victims from Kocani have submitted ten proposed conclusions this week to the Standing Inquiry Committee for the Protection of Freedoms and Rights of Citizens in an effort to unblock its work, nearly 20 months after the fatal fire at the club "Puls".

What the parents demand

The civic association "16 March 2025" forwarded the proposals on Friday; the text was made public the following day. In their document, parents ask that, in addition to criminal responsibility pursued by the competent judicial bodies, the committee also examine political, institutional and official responsibility regardless of party affiliation or the time when officials held office.

Reporters sought comment from the main parliamentary groups — Levica, SDSM and VMRO‑DPMNE — about whether the ten proposed conclusions are acceptable. Before publication only VMRO‑DPMNE provided a response, accusing the head of the committee of blocking further work and shifting responsibility.

Nikola Micevski – Coordinator of VMRO‑DPMNE: "The chairman of the committee has not convened a continuation of it, so that the conclusions can be adopted for more than 11 months (and he convened it as urgent, without consultations with the parliamentary groups). Why did it lose its urgency on the way? No, we have not received conclusions from the parents, because they have not been sent to the archive in the Assembly. Strange, maybe they were delivered personally to him. If he decides to forward them to the archive, we will have them as well. Only then will we be able to comment on anything else. Although the procedure has long ago been violated by the chairman of the Standing Inquiry Committee."

VMRO‑DPMNE's statement places responsibility on the committee chair for failing to call a new session to adopt conclusions. The parents' move is presented by activists as a last attempt to force parliamentary institutions to advance the inquiry and clarify accountability for the failures that preceded the tragedy.

As of publication, neither Levica nor SDSM had provided a formal position on the proposed conclusions.

Photo: press material from the event