A total of 59 people lost their lives and 155 were injured in a fire that flared up during a concert by the popular band DNK in North Macedonia last night. The fire erupted at the Pulse club in the town of Koçani, 65 km from the Bulgarian border. Some of the injured have already been transported to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Serbia for treatment. They are being flown to Bulgaria by the "Spartan" military aircraft. Hospitals in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna are admitting citizens of North Macedonia who need medical treatment. Bulgaria is ready to accept more people injured in the Koçani fire.
The government in Skopje has declared seven days of national mourning.
Throughout the day on Sunday, European Union leaders expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of North Macedonia.
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, wrote in X: "I am heartbroken by the loss of so many young people in the terrible fire in Koçani. My thoughts go out to all the families of the victims of this tragedy," adding that "the EU stands in solidarity with the people of North Macedonia at this moment of grief".
"Europe mourns with you on this tragic day," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also wrote on social media. The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kalas, also stressed that the EU shared the grief and pain of the people of North Macedonia.
Bulgarian state institutions reacted quickly, offering immediate help and assuring that our country felt the pain of North Macedonia.
Speaking to RSM President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Bulgarian head of state Rumen Radev expressed his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. "Bulgaria has offered its help in the form of medical treatment to the victims of the fire in the Republic of North Macedonia," Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov posted on Facebook. The Prime Minister has ordered full readiness to provide medical assistance in our clinical facilities.
Other countries in the region have also offered their support and assistance to North Macedonia.
The Council of Ministers has approved and submitted to Parliament for debate amendments to the Criminal Code that increase the penalties for torturing animals and add new, more severe punishments if what is done is filmed for distribution. If..
The Bulgarian government today approved and submitted to the European Commission a request to amend the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The renegotiation of the plan has been highlighted as a priority for the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov. The..
Representatives of three of the world's leading investment funds, which have a strong interest in setting up large data centres in the country, have reached out to and held meetings with Bulgarian authorities, GERB leader Boyko Borissov told..
Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has announced that Bulgaria is ready to join the eurozone. She made the statement at a business breakfast hosted by..
The traditional Bulgarian banitsa has ranked third in the Best Cheese Dishes list by Taste Atlas . The Bulgarian Banitsa with Cheese earned 4.5..
The reactors intended for Bulgaria's unrealised second nuclear power plant project - Belene - will not be sold. This was announced to journalists by..
Partly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy