Kočani families march to demand justice for Pulse nightclub fire victims

In Kočani, North Macedonia, families of the 63 people killed in the Pulse nightclub fire held their 49th ‘March for Angels’ to mark one and a half years since the tragedy. Participants carried heart-shaped banners inscribed with the names of the victims and lit candles to commemorate those lost on March 16.

During the march, parents addressed the court, demanding a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the nightclub’s operation. They are calling for scrutiny regarding the building’s reconstruction, its conversion into a cabaret, licensing procedures, inspection history, financial operations, and the use of pyrotechnics during the concert.

Valentina Hristovska, mother of victim Pavel Hristovski, expressed frustration over legal developments, specifically noting that the defense of nightclub owner Dejan Jovanov suggested his detention could only continue if a ‘new criminal offense’ were invented. Parents also questioned the use of property as a guarantee for his potential release, contrasting it with the lack of safety guarantees provided to their children before they entered the venue.