An indictment is expected next month against 30 police officers, for whom the Prosecution Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption has been conducting an investigation for months for their involvement in the fire at the “Puls” discotheque in Koçan. This was announced by the State Prosecutor General, who said that the investigation was extended for objective reasons. The police officers are suspected of not having carried out a check on the discotheque’s license, in the part related to public order and peace.
"Regarding the investigation into the police officers, it was expected to be completed by the end of September, but there were objective circumstances surrounding the questioning of several witnesses and now those witnesses have been questioned, in which case it is very likely that the public prosecution's decision will be made at the beginning of next month," said Ljubco Kocevski, State Public Prosecutor.
Meanwhile, the trial for the Kocani tragedy is expected to begin next week in the case led by the Basic Public Prosecution Office, while a preliminary investigation is also underway against several inspectors of the Public Revenue Directorate, who have been suspended from work. However, Kocevski did not want to reveal more details about what exactly the inspectors are being prosecuted for, but emphasized that the case is being led by the Kocani prosecution office.
"For the employees, that is, for those who were reported by the Public Revenue Directorate, a preliminary investigation procedure is being conducted at the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office of Kocani and the competent prosecutor has given instructions and orders for the undertaking of procedural actions by the competent bodies. We cannot say anything more in this regard now," declared Lupço Kocevski, State Public Prosecutor.
On November 19, the trial for the fire in the nightclub in Kocani on March 16, which killed 63 people and injured about 200, will begin in the courtroom in Idrizovo. A total of 34 individuals and three legal entities accused of serious crimes against public safety will sit before the court for the first time. The defendants are the owners of the discotheque, members of their families, associates, former mayors of Kocani, inspectors, people from the discotheque's security, as well as two former ministers of the economy. The case for one of the greatest tragedies in the country's recent history will be led by judge Diana Gruevska Ilievska. /Alsat/
