[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

14 clusters · 41 sources · 50 days · First seen · Last updated

Pulse nightclub fire trial and victim justice protests

Overview

Legal proceedings regarding the fatal Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani on March 16, 2025, have reached significant milestones. The trial, which has seen 49 hearings without postponement, has processed 1,390 pieces of material evidence. To date, 45 witnesses and five experts have testified. The prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence on September 14, and the defense is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence on October 1, with 244 witnesses expected to testify. An additional 15 hearings are planned through the end of 2026.

Regarding the primary defendant, Dejan Jovanov, the legal deadline for his detention expires on October 3. His defense has proposed offering property as a guarantee valued at approximately 200,000 euros. The court cannot rule on his detention status until it receives a formal opinion from the Public Prosecutor's Office. During a recent hearing, a construction expert testified that the building's structure did not pose a risk of fire spreading to neighboring properties, though the proceedings were interrupted when Jovanov requested medical assistance for back and chest pain. Furthermore, an anti-corruption prosecutor has opened a new investigation and requested Jovanov's re-detention under this separate case.

Parallel proceedings against 13 police officers accused of crimes against public security have also restarted following changes to the Judicial Council. Presided over by Judge Fanka Jančuleva Mihailovska, the retrial has faced minor logistical delays due to the health of one juror and the withdrawal of another. The defendants, including Dejan Saltirovski and Vančo Georgievski, maintain pleas of not guilty. The prosecution continues to allege that the officers were engaged in the nightclub during the critical period and failed to prevent the use of pyrotechnics.

Entities

Pulse nightclub · Kočani · Goran Markovski · Dejan Jovanov · Dijana Gruevska-Ilievska

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

  • "The trial of 13 police officers related to the Pulse tragedy was postponed because witnesses failed to appear." skopje1.mk · libertas.mk · a1on.mk · sitel.com.mk

    vs

    "The court postponed the hearing to allow for a numerical presentation of photographic evidence following a defense objection."

    The first claim asserts the trial was postponed due to witness absence, while the second asserts it was postponed due to a defense objection regarding photographic evidence.

  • "The trial of 13 police officers related to the Pulse tragedy was postponed because witnesses failed to appear." skopje1.mk · libertas.mk · a1on.mk · sitel.com.mk

    vs

    "The hearing was interrupted because the defendant, Dejan Jovanov, requested medical assistance due to back and chest pain." nezavisen.mk · novamakedonija.com.mk

    The first claim attributes the postponement to witness absence, whereas the second attributes the interruption to a defendant's request for medical assistance.

  • "The hearing was interrupted because the defendant, Dejan Jovanov, requested medical assistance due to back and chest pain." nezavisen.mk · novamakedonija.com.mk

    vs

    "The court postponed the hearing to allow for a numerical presentation of photographic evidence following a defense objection."

    The first claim attributes the postponement to a defense objection regarding photographic evidence, while the second attributes the interruption to a defendant's request for medical assistance.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [CRIME] 13 sources
    Pulse nightclub fire trial: Defendant's detention expires October 3

    The trial for the Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani, which killed 63 people, continues as the defendant's detention nears expiration and a new corruption investigation is launched.

  2. 11 days ago

    [CRIME] 8 sources
    Police trial restarts over fatal Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani

    The trial of 13 police officers regarding the fatal Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani has restarted following changes to the Judicial Council. The defendants maintain their pleas of not guilty.

  3. 14 days ago

    [CRIME] 6 sources
    Pulse Cabaret trial: Witness claims owner blocked police access

    A witness testified in the trial of nine police officers regarding a fire at the Pulse cabaret in Kočani, stating the owner refused to show a license and blocked access with vehicles during a 2023 inspection.

  4. 15 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Kočani families march to demand justice for Pulse nightclub fire victims

    Families of the 63 victims of the Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani, North Macedonia, held a march to demand justice and a full investigation into the safety and licensing of the venue.

  5. 18 days ago

    [CRIME] 11 sources
    Pulse disco fire trial reveals construction and safety failures

    Legal proceedings for the Pulse disco fire in Kočani reveal unauthorized building repurposing and the use of non-compliant fire-retardant materials. Trials for police officers face delays.

  6. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 9 sources
    Pulse nightclub fire trial: Experts cite illegal repurposing

    The trial for the Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani continues, with experts testifying that illegal construction and improper facility repurposing directly compromised safety, leading to 63 deaths.

  7. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Pulse nightclub fire trial focuses on building repurposing legality

    Expert testimony in the Pulse nightclub fire trial in Kočani highlights that owners are legally responsible for building repurposing, following a tragedy that killed 63 people.

  8. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Puls case: Expert testifies on fire causes and building failures

    An expert testified in the ‘Puls’ case that the building's 2012 condition did not cause the 2025 fire, citing various technical and regulatory failures.

  9. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 6 sources
    Pulse nightclub fire trial continues in Skopje

    The trial for the Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani, which killed 63 people, continues in Skopje as experts testify about the use of flammable polyurethane foam and structural reinforcements.

  10. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Puls nightclub fire trial: Prosecution concludes witness phase

    The prosecution has finished its witness phase in the Puls nightclub fire trial in Kochan, involving 35 defendants and focusing on institutional and individual accountability.

  11. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Puls nightclub fire trial: Expert identifies polyurethane foam in ceiling

    Expert testimony in the Puls nightclub fire trial in Kočan indicates polyurethane foam was present in the ceiling, contributing to the blaze, despite being entirely consumed by the fire.

  12. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 7 sources
    Pulse nightclub trial: Experts reveal illegal construction and safety violations

    Expert testimony in the Pulse nightclub fire trial reveals that the Kočani facility underwent illegal reconstruction and improper repurposing, featuring flammable materials and obstructed evacuation routes.

  13. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Kočani nightclub trial: Experts testify Pulse venue operated illegally

    In the trial for the Kočani Pulse nightclub fire, experts testified that the venue was illegally operating in an industrial zone not designated for hospitality or nightclubs.

  14. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Pulse nightclub fire trial continues with forensic testimony

    Forensic experts testified in the Pulse nightclub fire trial that the venue lacked all fire safety measures, had no evacuation exits, and was dangerously overcrowded, contributing to 63 deaths.

Sources

360stepeni.mk · a1on.mk · alfa.mk · almakos.com · beta.rs · brif.mk · danas.rs · denesen.mk · kanal77.mk · koha.mk · libertas.mk · lider.mk · lokalno.mk · makpress.mk · nezavisen.mk · novamakedonija.com.mk · novasloboda.ba · ohridsky.com · plusinfo.mk · politika.rs · press24.mk · racin.mk · republika.mk · sitel.com.mk · skopje1.mk · skopjeinfo.mk · skopskoeho.mk · telegrafi.com · tetovasot.com · tocka.com.mk · trn.mk · ts.mk · tv21.tv · utrinskivesnik.mk · utro.mk · vecer.mk · vesnik.com · vijesti.ba · vreme.mk · zhurnal.mk · zurnal.mk

This summary has been updated 18 times: see revision history