Description: With flags at half staff and an entire nation in mourning, North Macedonian State Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski has informed the public of the successive infractions officials discovered in the makeshift carpet warehouse turned nightclub in Kocani. The warehouse turned nightclub hadn’t passed the proper civil security and infrastructure safety inspections, had a single exit and no fire extinguishing systems in place, Kocevski stated. The State Prosecutor had also confidently stated that the causes of the devastating tragic accident lie within the country’s widespread corruption and bribery problems which cost the small nation the lives of so many young people. North Macedonia’s government had ordered sweeping inspections and controls throughout nightclubs and bars across the country where substantial infractions were also uncovered, only emphasizing the severely porous state of the country’s systemic problem with corruption. The investigation has so far connected more than 15 people with the deadly accident while the public called for massive gatherings in city centers across the country.
Impact: The devastating accident has shattered the small Balkan country to its already fragile foundations as larger civil movements and protests are naturally expected in the upcoming period. The country’s deeply rooted issues and widespread corruption throughout every aspect of society have repeatedly resulted in massive losses of human life. Revolving governments throughout the country’s history have made no progress in the fight against institutional corruption in the small country where political connections, bribery and organized crime superseded the value of human life. The country is faced with a significantly turbulent period where existential questions should be raised to the highest level of government as protests and larger civil movements would incite as a natural response towards the devastating accident.