One year after the tragedy in Kocani, Mickoski: The pain remains, we must build institutions that do not allow its repetition

Macedonia

Express newspaper

14/03/2026 12:26

One year after the tragic fire in Kočani that shook the entire country, state leaders emphasized that the pain remains, but also the obligation to build institutions that will not allow such a tragedy to be repeated. The messages were given at an international conference in Skopje dedicated to the institutional and clinical aspects of this tragedy.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the fire in Kocani has left a deep wound in society and in the memory of the state.
"The tragedy in Kocani left a deep wound in our society. In one night, lives were cut short, destinies were changed, and a pain was opened that will remain long in the memory of our country," said Mickoski.

During his speech, he also read the names of the fire victims, emphasizing that they are not just statistics.
"The people who lost their lives are not a number, but destinies and personalities," said the prime minister, adding that the day of the tragedy was the most difficult in his life and that it occurred only eight months after he had taken office.

Mickoski stressed that the tragedy is the result of a system weakened over the years and that responsibility must be determined by justice institutions.
"In just eight months of my leadership of the state, the bill was paid for a system that has been destroyed for decades. The prosecution and the courts should say who is to blame for this," he declared.

The Minister of Health, Azir Aliu, spoke about the experience of the health system in dealing with the tragedy and the work of hundreds of professionals who were committed to saving lives.
"I would like to extend a special thank you to more than 400 healthcare workers from public and private institutions, who worked with extraordinary dedication and professionalism in those days," said Aliu.

He stressed that 115 patients were transported for treatment abroad and that the experience from Kocani also showed the need for psychological support and for strengthening the capacities of the health system. “The consequences of such a tragedy do not end with physical wounds. They leave deep psychological scars on the injured, their families and the entire community,” the minister stressed.