section_path: Legal/Responses
section_name: Responses
paragraph_text: Responses
  
  The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), a political party representing the interests of the Albanian ethnic minority in North Macedonia, expressed doubt in the legality and impartiality of the investigation, especially regarding its methodology, possible governmental interference in the prosecutor's office, and politically motivated arrests. In a later statement, DUI claimed that the investigation was "a sui generis example of legal improvisation, driven not by law, but by a desire for applause" and said that the legal system was being "abuse". In particular, they criticized the withdrawal of a public prosecutor from the investigation and the release most of the suspects from prison, except for Kreshnik Bekteshi, whom they called a longtime victim of "political retaliation".
  
  Bogdanka Kuzeska, spokesperson for the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), accused Toškovski of conducting the investigation "selectively" by only arresting former VMRO-DPMNE officials, none of whom were in office after 2022. She said that Toškovski was attempting to "protect current high-ranking officials, public servants, and chiefs" who failed to prevent the fire; in particular, the head of the Internal Affairs Directorate in Kočani, Marija Cvetkovska Manevska, and the Kočani police chief, Tomo Donev, neither of whom were arrested. А SDSM MP, Slavjanka Petrovska, accused Toškovski of using his legal skills (he is an experienced lawyer) to "contaminat and obstruct" the investigation to conceal possible Ministry of Internal Affairs involvement in the failure to prevent the fire, and said that Toškovski was not acting in the best interest of the people, but in the best interest of his party, VMRO-DPMNE.
  
  Lawyer and ex-judge Vladimir Tufegdžić criticized the government for an alleged lack of transparency to the public regarding the investigation and said that protests in Kočani may "easily escalate and become out of control". He urged the government ensure that the public understands that it is "unrealistic" for all 68 suspects to be convicted of crimes in a speedy manner, since they have the right to defend themselves in court and they likely will with all methods legally permitted to them. He also called upon the government to "mobilize" organizations that support victims of disasters.
  
  Toškovski accused the opposition of trying to shift blame away from themselves and trying to distract from what he claims is the real issue, that institutions "remained silent – even though they knew". He said that trust in the police is growing due to his efforts in tackling corruption in government. He denies any Ministry of Internal Affairs failures regarding the fire.