On March 16, a fire in a makeshift nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, killed 59 young people and injured over 150, highlighting the town’s profound loss and the broader issues of systemic governance failures and youth emigration. The tragedy sparked national mourning and protests, revealing deep-seated discontent with a corrupt political elite and the EU’s ineffective accession process, which has failed to deliver real opportunities. Meanwhile, the EU’s extractivist policies further exploit the region, exacerbating local economic stagnation and healthcare shortages as young professionals flee for better prospects abroad.
