The statements of the witnesses Dario Trifunov and Alexandra Pepelarovska, given in the investigative procedure, were read today in the courtroom in Idrizovo, within the trial for the tragic fire in the “Pulse” discotheque in Kočani.
The court made this decision after it was determined that the two witnesses were not available to the law enforcement authorities. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Trifunov is abroad and there is no way to establish contact with him, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Pepelarov informed that he is also unavailable, reported MIA.
The defense objected to this decision, stressing that it is a matter of key witnesses, especially in the part of establishing who brought the pyrotechnics into the discotheque. According to them, their direct testimony could significantly influence the course of the proceedings.
In his statement, Trifunov describes the course of events during the fire – from its outbreak, through the evacuation, to the attempts to find his friends and their transfer to the hospital.
Pepelarovska, on the other hand, testifies about the interior of the building and states that she noticed an unknown male person setting up sprinklers on the stage immediately before the fire broke out. She also describes the moment of panic, the extinguishing attempts, as well as the intervention of security during the evacuation.
The defense further responded that some potentially important evidence, such as photos and videos from the fateful evening, were not provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, although, according to them, it was Trifunov who was in charge of preserving them.
The trial continues with the hearing of the director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Aleksandar Stankov, and in the previous phase, autopsy findings and medical documentation for the victims and the injured were presented.
The fire at the Pulse discotheque, which broke out on March 16, 2025 during a concert, claimed 63 lives and injured over 200 people, leaving deep consequences and raising numerous questions of responsibility.
