Iva Mihailova crossed North Macedonia–Bulgaria border despite seized ID
Dual citizen on trial in Kočani says she returned to Bulgaria for health reasons; Macedonian authorities say they have no confirmed information.
Iva Mihailova, a dual Macedonian‑Bulgarian national who is on trial at the Basic Court in Kočani over a traffic crash with fatal consequences, left North Macedonia together with her lawyer despite court measures that had included confiscation of her identity documents.
According to Mihailova, she returned to Bulgaria because her health had worsened. "We crossed the border with my lawyer. My health deteriorated, he took me and we returned to Bulgaria without any problems. At the border I showed my Macedonian ID card. I feel safe in Bulgaria. In North Macedonia I was repressed because of my Bulgarian origin and that was one of the reasons they accused me," she said. The next hearing in the case is set for 9 November.
Her lawyer, Nikolaj Dimitrov, declined to name which border crossing they used, saying he did not want to cause problems for people who helped them. Dimitrov acknowledged that their actions may amount to a breach of the precautionary measures imposed on Mihailova, but said the right to medical treatment guided their decision. "This situation is unbearable and we took our fate into our own hands," he told reporters.
Bulgarian ministry says it was not notified
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had not been notified in advance and denied organising her return. "The lawyer contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly before his public statement. We understand the family's concern about Iva's health. The most important thing now is that she receives the necessary medical care. Bulgaria has consistently supported efforts for Iva to receive the required treatment. The MFA will continue to provide assistance in the case within its mandate," the statement said.
North Macedonian institutions have not provided information on how Mihailova left the country while her personal documents were seized. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has been asked whether she crossed the border with documents in her possession and through which checkpoint she departed; responses were expected during the day.
The episode raises questions about whether the breach happened because of lapses at the border, shortcomings in the court's enforcement of precautionary measures, or for other reasons; authorities will need to clarify the circumstances ahead of the November hearing.
Photo: Arhiva
