Tragedy in Kocani – A bitter reminder that abuse of power must be stopped

Written for Kosovo Online by Zeljko Sajn

"If you carry something unspoken,
Something that weighs on you and burns,
Bury it in deep silence,
Silence will speak for itself."
(Aco Sopov, In Silence)

A commemorative silence, yet beneath it, painful cries and immeasurable sorrow. The sorrow of parents, relatives, friends, all Macedonians, and many others who sympathize with them over the irreplaceable loss of young lives. The tragedy in Kocani, North Macedonia, has taken on the dimensions of an ancient tragedy and the absurdity of modern times, striking at the core of every person who has heard this dreadful news.

The night between March 15 and 16 was the last for many young people whose lives were just beginning, promising a brighter future for their hometown, for all of North Macedonia, and perhaps even the world. They were excited to attend a concert by their favorite band—DNK—only for their lives to be forever silenced to the sound of its music. A merciless fire swept through the Kocani nightclub Puls with lightning speed, leaving 59 young people—some as young as 14, including high school and university students—unable to escape. Over 200 others managed to survive, but with varying degrees of burns and lifelong trauma that may never fade.

This small town of only 20,000 residents is now shrouded in mourning. Nearly every home has lost a young member. Their school desks remain empty, university halls impoverished, and the academic community diminished.

In the silence described by Sopov, endless processions fill the streets of Kocani and Skopje, paying their final respects to the victims, praying for their peaceful journey to paradise, and for the recovery of those who managed to escape the fire’s grasp. They also pray that such a tragedy never happens again—anywhere.

Painful silence speaks louder than words. The tears soaking the streets of Kocani echo across the globe. There is so much grief, pain, and despair in the tears of mothers, fathers, siblings, classmates… that, for those who now see life only in darkness, they may never dry. Not even the ancient masters of tragedy could accurately depict such emotion.

A chilling fact remains: DNK, a band that strengthened Macedonian identity through two decades of work—especially during the nation’s most challenging political times, when it had to change its name and question its very existence—performed their song "If Tomorrow I Am Gone" during their last concert in Kocani. Many who listened to that song that night truly did not live to see the next day—just as seven band members did not survive the catastrophe, with only one making it out alive.

The magnitude of this tragedy is unprecedented in the history of the region, and even beyond. Many countries have offered help, including Serbia, of course, but also Greece and Bulgaria—nations with whom North Macedonia has had strained relations due to political disputes.
The most important task now is to provide appropriate care for the survivors and to thoroughly investigate the causes of this national catastrophe. Those responsible must be brought to justice to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

"The evidence we are gathering every day indicates that the root cause is a general erosion of the system, a culture of disregarding laws and regulations, and deep systemic corruption," said Ljupco Kocevski, the Public Prosecutor of North Macedonia, in an interview with Politika. He emphasized that it is now necessary to face the consequences, punish those responsible, and prevent such a disaster from recurring.

For too long, lawlessness has been tolerated—this is a bitter reminder that abuse of power and corrupt activities must be stopped and eradicated forever. Furthermore, it is essential to prevent the politicization of this tragedy, as it is disgraceful to exploit public grief, anger, and pain for political or partisan interests.
"Politics has no place here, and such exploitation of tragedy is absolutely unacceptable. We must remain united because our shared goal is to punish those responsible and ensure that such a disaster never happens again," stressed Prosecutor Kocevski.

"What happened to us in Kocani—if we can learn anything from it—is that we must work to prevent such tragedies from happening again. This means changing habits of negligence and unprofessional conduct, both toward ourselves and others! And, of course, ensuring that the pursuit of profit and wealth is not driven by dishonorable and criminal intentions," emphasized Archbishop Stefan in his speech at the farewell ceremony for the 59 young people laid to eternal rest. He added that the country has suffered an irreplaceable loss, but that we must not allow ourselves to lose hope:

"It is right and justified to grieve for the irreplaceable loss we have suffered, but in our sorrow, let us not be like those who have no hope. The Holy Church teaches that only faith illuminates the darkness of death and points the way to eternal life. That is why, for us Christians, faith is the first and only comfort in these difficult moments of parting from our loved ones. So, let us pray that the Lord grants us the strength to endure this tragedy. May it also be a consolation that the terrible disaster in Kocani has united our people in grief."

Eradicating corruption from society and eliminating the abuse of political power is a Sisyphean task, but we hope that this tragic warning will awaken the conscience of those in power—those who, through their roles in the system, can create a brighter future for their citizens. May the switch that was turned off in Kocani never be pressed again.

And while justice remains in the hands of the system, the citizens of North Macedonia have come together to build a collective memorial for all the victims, giving them a home for eternal life. May the lyrics of DNK’s songs and Sopov’s poetry silence politicians in their mutual blame game and lead the judicial authorities toward justice—for at least that much can be given to the families who lost everything on that fateful night.