SDSM Vice President Ana Chupeska demanded responsibility from the Minister of Interior Pance Toshkovski, as well as a thorough and independent investigation into the tragedy in Kocani, at today's press conference.

She appealed to the Prosecutor's Office and all investigative bodies to investigate this tragedy to the end and hold those responsible accountable.

According to Čupeska, the ease with which the minister rejected responsibility from himself and from the Ministry of Interior, which, as he pointed out, he has been leading for more than a year, is appalling.

– Unfortunately, today's last press conference of the Minister of Internal Affairs Pance Toshkovski left us speechless and forced us to react. Let us remind Toshkovski that he has been a minister for 13 months. SDSM believed that the minister would have the virtue to tell the truth and not selectively report to the public about the events, and we expected that he would precisely locate responsibility and that he would prove that he had no intention of sparing anyone from these events. But he did not do that – said Chupeska.

Instead, as he added, Toshkovski is politicizing and blaming others, when he has been a minister for a whole year, and the Government has had all institutions at its disposal for nine months.

– Minister Toshkovski, isn't it shameful that you and everyone in the institutions don't take responsibility and resign, in conditions when this discotheque has been operating without a license all year. Whose responsibility is it if it's not yours, you should check it. Whose responsibility is it if it's not yours and all the inspectors you lead? To demand responsibility and to check all year whether there are irregularities in the operation – added Chupeska.

She stressed that the Directorate for Protection and Rescue should conduct annual inspections of the safety standards of all facilities.

– How come the police were there, as you yourself said, and did not close the disco, which was obviously operating outside all prescribed standards and procedures. How can a disco that has never before, even with the old licenses, been allowed to operate after 1 am, still operate until 3 am on this fateful night? Don't you think that someone should have checked this by now? – said Čupeska.

She adds that the fire was caused by pyrotechnic materials, and it is the Ministry of Interior that issues and controls these companies that manage these funds.

– The responsibility here lies entirely with the Ministry of Interior and why are you silent about this? Is it true that this summer this disco was renovated and put into use, who gave consent for that? You were in power at that time both at the central and local levels. Toshkovski, let us tell you that in these moments you had the opportunity to prove that you are a professional, but also to present yourself as a human being. We regret that with your behavior, with all the propaganda that is being conducted on social networks, you decided to brutally politicize this tragic event – ​​said Čupeska.

She clarified that SDSM demands a thorough and independent investigation into the entire case. As she said, they appeal to the Prosecutor's Office and all investigative bodies to investigate this tragedy to the end so that citizens can get the truth, and those responsible can be held accountable.

– We appeal to everyone not to politicize the case, because it is very terrible and very painful for all those who are currently searching for their people and grieving for their loved ones – added Čupeska.