Dramatic developments after the indictment was confirmed: Shifting of blame, objections, no admission of guilt

The trial of those responsible for this case has not yet begun.

The indictment is 117 pages long, and the objections of the defendants and their lawyers have been presented in 109 pages. At this stage of the proceedings, none of the defendants has admitted guilt. Contrary to the prosecution, the defendants argue that someone who held a position ten years ago cannot be held responsible for the nightclub fire that occurred in March of this year.

The indictment charges 34 individuals and three companies, includes over 1,440 pieces of evidence, and proposes as many as 283 witnesses. More than 30 lawyers, mostly local defenders from Kočani, represent the accused.

According to many of the appeals, the defendants shift responsibility for the actions either onto other defendants—including some who have passed away—or onto the lack of reports or authority to act.

The primary defendant, the nightclub owner Dejan Jovanov, who is awaiting trial in the Kumanovo prison, blames institutions that failed to regulate the venue for the tragedy. In his appeal, he also places part of the responsibility on the band DNK, as they did not inform him that they would be using pyrotechnics. His son, Mihail Jovanov, shifts responsibility onto others, including the late Aleksandar Karadakoski, who was listed as the nightclub manager.

Dejan’s brother, Todor, stated in his objection that he was formally not responsible in his brother’s company, as claimed by the prosecution, but merely worked as a freelancer selling tickets for the nightclub. There are also objections from numerous inspectors, mayors, ministers, and other officials at both local and central levels who are included in the indictment. Most of them cite incompetence, lack of proper reports, or absence of orders to act.

The indictment mainly concerns acts of omission and inaction over a period of 13 years. Its legal classification, the number of defendants, and the period it covers make this indictment one of the most delicate in recent judicial history. The defense lawyers have described the indictment as vague and unclear, predicting a marathon trial.

Some defense attorneys have requested that the judges schedule a public hearing to review the indictment, but the three judges—Monika Bahčovanovska, Sofče Gavrilova-Efremova, and Ilija Trpkov—decided to keep everything behind closed doors, reports the Skopje portal Prizma.