The Puls Trial Has Begun: Nine Police Officers Pleaded Not Guilty, 63 Graves Await an Answer

The trial of the second group of police officers in the „Puls" case has begun - and as could be expected, nine officers pleaded not guilty. They declared themselves innocent of the charge that, with their signatures and favorable assessments, they enabled the illegal operation of the improvised club in Kočani, where more than a year ago dozens of young people died.

A reminder of the figure that must not be forgotten. The fire at „Puls" - housed in a repurposed former factory building - happened on March 16, 2025 and claimed 63 lives, while over 230 people were injured. One night of entertainment grew into the greatest tragedy of an entire generation, and the courtrooms have since been filling with defendants who, one by one, say „we're not guilty."

According to the indictment, the officers failed to carry out thorough checks before issuing operating permits for the venue, overlooking insufficient parking space and registered breaches of public order. The unauthorized approvals in the 2022-2023 period, claims prosecutor Spasenko Andonova, brought an illegal gain of around 284,576 denars for the business and another 335,916 denars in wages for the informal owner. Figures that, set against 63 graves, sound grotesquely small.

Some of the younger defendants complained that they were suspended without pay, even though the prosecution didn't request their removal. And here the whole case is mirrored - everyone feels wronged, no one is guilty. Meanwhile the families who buried their children sit in the same courtroom and listen as the system that was supposed to protect them now defends itself. Who's going to answer for this? The question is as old as the tragedy, and there's still no answer.