PM Mickoski Has Phone Call with Rutte over Kocani Fire, EU, too, Ready to Help North Macedonia

In a phone conversation with PM Hristijan Mickoski on Sunday over the Kocani nightclub fire, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced there would be a potential activation of the Alliance’s system to deal with accidents, media have reported.

The EU, too, is ready to help North Macedonia, a European Commission spokesperson said on Sunday, adding that, if requested, that would be done through the Civil Protection Mechanism. Also, the Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the EU was in solidarity with North Macedonia.

“A tragedy in Kocani, North Macedonia, where a devastating nightclub fire has resulted in numerous casualties and injuries. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the emergency teams. The EU is ready to provide support”, she said on social media.

Also on Sunday, in Skopje, the Government decided to declare a seven-day mourning period. At the Government’s session, the State Market Inspectorate was tasked with conducting extraordinary inspection supervision at hospitality venues and notify the cabinet immediately of the findings. The goal is to determine whether they meet criteria according to laws and regulations.

The Government said it had also decided to activate the mechanism to request international assistance.

Sunday also saw the President, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, deliver an address, saying that young lives had been lost due to somebody’s improvisation, self-indulgence, and manipulation. As she added, this time around, nobody responsible must avoid the law, justice, and punishment.

“Without standards and rules, no activity must function”, the President underlined.