section_path: Investigation
section_name: Investigation
paragraph_text: Investigation
  
  North Macedonia's Interior Minister, Panče Toškovski said that the nightclub's operating license was obtained as a result of corruption and bribery. Later reports simply referred to the nightclub as unlicensed. Toškovski said that the homes of two former Ministry of Economy employees were searched, and technical equipment, documentation, weapons, ammunition were seized. On 18 March, Toškovski said that local police from Štip and Veles that were investigating the fire would be replaced with officers from Skopje, to ensure that "process proceeds without pressure, suspicion, or undue influence", but added that the decision does not "imply guilt" upon the local police officers. The government ordered a three-day inspection of all nightclubs and cabarets in the country. An inspection found significant safety violations at the Pulse Nightclub:
  
  At a press conference on 17 March, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that only 12 legal licenses for nightclubs had been issued throughout the country, and the Pulse Nightclub was not one of them. Just one day later, the government spokesperson announced that there were in fact 22 legal licenses, out of 50 inspected establishments. A further 15 of the 50 did not have licenses or had expired licenses. As a result, many nightclubs and entertainment venues were shut down. Three licensed nightclubs were closed down and their licenses were revoked after investigations found numerous deficiencies. Police visited all 12 companies in North Macedonia that are licensed to handle pyrotechnics. On 20 March, the state public prosecutor, Ljupčo Kocevski, said there is an ongoing investigation into "bribery, illegalities in the procurement of pyrotechnics, and several other crimes".