Prosecution Expert: The Condition of the Premises in 2012 Was Unrelated to the Consequences of the 2025 Fire

At today’s hearing in the “Pulse” case, construction experts answered questions from the defense. The discussion focused on the materials used at the premises, including polyurethane foam for acoustic insulation, as well as the renovations and interventions carried out on its structure.

The questions from the lawyer were answered by Goran Markovski, a professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje, who was engaged as an expert by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

During the testimony, the lawyer asked Markovski whether he agreed that the condition of the premises when it was rented, in December 2012, had not caused the consequences of the fire.

“Yes, I agree regarding such consequences!” Markovski declared.

This answer was given during the examination of the expert report addressing the causes and consequences of the fire.

According to the information presented at the previous hearing, the expert report identified a number of deficiencies related to the premises and the actions of the responsible institutions. These included the lack of necessary technical documentation, the failure to engage a qualified contractor and supervisory personnel, the absence of quality control, and the failure to take all the measures prescribed for fire protection.

In addition, no inspection supervision had been carried out by the authorized construction inspector or by the Directorate for Protection and Rescue. The State Market Inspectorate had not verified whether the minimum technical requirements had been met, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs had given its approval despite deficiencies in the traffic-access arrangement.

The examination of the expert report and the defense’s questions is continuing. The hearing is focusing on the causes of the fire and the causal link between the condition of the premises, subsequent interventions and the consequences of the fire.