The Balkans Are More Connected Than You Can Imagine!
On the occasion of the fire in the alleged nightclub in the Macedonian town of Kočani
Seemingly divided and at odds, yet all bound together by the social and state collapse that kills daily. The victims are innocent, ordinary people—especially those from the lower social strata.
Not long ago, Greeks protested over last year’s train crash, which claimed the lives of 57 people, mostly young. They protested because they saw no way out, no solution, no lessons learned from the tragedy. The state—its incompetence, austerity policies, and deep inequalities—kills.
Then, in November, tragedy struck in Novi Sad, where 15 people died when a canopy collapsed. That disaster sparked the student protests that culminated in a massive gathering in Belgrade just yesterday. As we anxiously followed the news (fearing an escalation of violence), Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski reassured the public through the media that the situation was being closely monitored and that there was no risk of unrest spilling over into Macedonia.
Yet, by a cruel twist of fate, later that same evening, the “spillover” happened—not in the form of political protests, but as a grim manifestation of social decay, corruption, and citizen insecurity.
As I write this, the death toll from the nightclub fire in the small town of Kočani has risen from 53 to 60. The number of critically injured victims is alarming. The tragedy brings back memories of the September 2021 fire that engulfed a hastily built modular hospital in Tetovo—constructed without any safety standards—taking the lives of 14 people who burned alive. No one was held accountable. The official explanation? A faulty cable. And that was it.
No one was punished for the criminal scandal at the hospital’s oncology department either, where it was discovered that cancer drugs were being illegally sold to foreign citizens while patients were given saline solution instead of actual treatment.
After everything we’ve been through, it’s clear that this is a class war against a kakistocracy—one we don’t even elect ourselves, as the true guardians of our stabilitocracy are the Western state-builders. Greed for profit, corruption, and the lust for power kill—starting with the most vulnerable.
And all of us in these states are on the same Titanic.
It’s not that protests don’t exist—they do! But they keep hitting dead ends. Until the next election.
The fire outbreak took place while the music band DNA played their song “Што сака нека биде” which translates to “come what may” in English. This expression usually conveys acceptance of whatever may happen, embracing an attitude of resilience and determination in the face of uncertainty. I doubt they expected deadly consequences. 💔 Some of the music band members have also died.
Biljana, I share your comments .