Bulgaria is the first country that was ready to accept victims of the tragic incident in Kochani, Bulgarian Ambassador to North Macedonia Zhelyazko Radukov told bTV.
He added that he has assurances from the Macedonian authorities that the corruption models that were cited as being responsible for the fire in the Pulse disco will be broken.
“The wound is huge, the pain of the relatives, of the loved ones, of an entire city, of an entire society is heartbreaking. This block is also ours. In this moment of loneliness, their tears are our tears. Right "I get the impression that people here don't ask themselves why, as if they know very well why this tragedy happened. Their anger and their questions are focused on how to get out of the horror and how it will never happen again," said Ambassador Zhelyazko Radukov.
According to him, Bulgaria was ready to help immediately, no matter what.
„Bulgaria was one of the first because we didn't ask ourselves unnecessary questions. At the moment when we informed our state leaders, I remember the first words of Minister Georg Georgiev - how can we help, gather information on what we can be useful with. Our president, prime minister, ministers of health and of internal and foreign affairs were the first to contact their colleagues and ask this question. While we were waiting for the answer, Bulgarian institutions did not waste time. When the request for help came, we were already ready.
It is no coincidence that when many other countries were still wondering how to help, with what, Bulgaria already had patients from the RSM in its hospitals. The work continued after that, because the care is not only for the patients, but also for their relatives. When we talked to the families of the victims, we had the instructions of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov behind us, who had said to provide transportation to Bulgaria and accommodation at our own expense. It is much easier to tell people who are in chaos and terror - don't worry, there is someone to meet you and where to settle down. We have something to be proud of as Bulgarians in the functioning of our state and institutions during this period“, said Ambassador Radukov.
The assistance we have provided and the gratitude of the Macedonians is indicative of the relationship between the peoples, he noted.
“We did not do it in search of political PR, but because we have to and because we are close, neighbors, relatives, Christians, Balkans. This selflessness is seen and registered by the RSM community. People stop my employees on the street and thank them with tears in their eyes. We hear in the media public statements with superlatives for Bulgaria from people from whom I would not have expected it before“, added the Bulgarian ambassador to the RSM.
The government and the prosecutor's office have undertaken a commitment that everyone will take their responsibility, he assured.
“The annual reports of the EC on the progress of the RSM towards EU membership are sufficiently indicative in this regard, but I would draw your attention to the statement of the Prime Minister Mr. Mickoski three days ago. If we synthesize it, a clear message emerges – "either North Macedonia as a country will fight corruption or corruption will destroy this country," said Zhelyazkov Radukov.
EU membership is the sure formula to stop corruption, but this is a matter of political will, believes the head of our mission in Skopje.
“The process of European integration is not a panacea. This is not a magic wand that Brussels can wave and simply eliminate corruption from a country. The advantages of EU membership are an incentive for the candidate country to carry out the necessary reforms, to make the necessary efforts and for them to be crowned with membership, but these efforts must first be made, for them to have political and public will in the candidate country. Yes, the EU and Bulgaria as a member of the EU can help and are helping, we can with material assistance, with experience, training, good practices, operational information, but we cannot seize the functions of local institutions, we cannot replace them. This is their task and I sincerely hope they will succeed in this“, our ambassador to the RSM pointed out.
Currently, the only thing that is important, according to Ambassador Radukov, is to pray for the recovery of the injured.
“Let's pray for the patients who are currently all over the world. The most severe cases are with us and in Greece. I have absolute confidence in our doctors, but a prayer is never superfluous“, he urged.
The injured have been admitted to various hospitals - Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Turkey, Greece and Serbia. All those being treated in our country have improved and are in stable condition. Bulgaria remains ready to accept more injured.
34 charges have been filed against individuals and legal entities for their actions or inactions that led to the tragic incident at the Pulse disco. In a statement, the RSM interior minister said that everyone directly or indirectly connected to the fire will be held accountable.
There is a place in the central square in Skopje with photos of all those who died in the disco. 30 psychologists are working with the families who lost their children, close friends and relatives in Kocani.