Witness: Probishtip officers were sent to Kocani without being told they would conduct a check in Puls nightclub

A police witness said two officers from Probishtip were sent to Kocani without being told they would take part in a raid at the Puls nightclub, during the criminal trial over the deadly fire there.

Witness outlines orders and what happened that night

Dragan Vasileski, a senior inspector for economic crime at the Probishtip Regional Police Department, told the court that on 14 March 2026 he received an instruction from the then-head of the Probishtip department to propose two inspectors to perform duties the following evening in the area of the Regional Police Department in Kocani.

Vasileski told defence lawyers that neither he nor the inspectors Martin Arsovski and Darko Miloshevski were informed of the specific tasks before departing. "Neither I nor my colleagues Darko and Martin knew which specific activities they would carry out in Kocani. Simply, it was said at 20:30 with an official vehicle to report to a petrol station in Kocani, where they would be met by police officers from the Regional Police Department in Kocani and would perform certain official tasks," he said.

He added that the officers were not told to wear uniforms and were not warned about any special risks or provided with an operational plan for the control action. Vasileski also said that neither he nor the officers from the Probishtip External Office for Criminal Investigations took part in preparing or organising the plan for the operation.

According to his testimony, until the day of the disaster he had not heard of the Puls nightclub, and the same was true for Arsovski and Miloshevski. He said that after the fire he learned the officers had initially been assigned to other locations in and around Kocani and were given the task of taking part in a check at Puls only later.

Vasileski testified that at around 2:30 a.m. Arsovski and Miloshevski, together with officers from the Kocani police unit, entered the nightclub to check a person suspected of possessing narcotics. "Martin and Darko acted in accordance with the tasks they received. During the search they found a substance they suspected was a narcotic drug," he said, adding that the search took place near the nightclub toilets and that as they exited guests began to leave and disorder ensued.

Relatives of victims addressed the court during a break. Aleksandar Naunov, speaking for the parents, said each hearing revives the trauma for families. "While we relive the worst moments of our lives, in the courtroom we hear sweeping answers, justifications, blame-shifting and some oral orders. Today, we hear that the police officers from Probishtip were not informed about the purpose and points of the control action. Is it professional to conduct an operation without proper information and coordination of services?" he asked.

Naunov also questioned whether better organisation and coordination could have prevented some of the fatalities: "Could timely coordination, professional conduct and organising an evacuation corridor have saved lives. While you seek excuses, we hear in our minds the last screams of our children. You have the right to defence. Our children did not have the right to a second chance."

The trial concerns the fire that broke out on 16 March 2025 at the Puls nightclub in Kocani, which killed 63 people and injured many others. Thirteen police officers are among the accused; prosecutors allege they did not act in accordance with prescribed duties and the action plan related to work at the club.

Photo: press material from the event