Toshkovski: I regret that Bulgaria is becoming a protector of suspects and convicted criminals
Toshkovski says the investigation into Mihajlova's escape is ongoing and criticised Bulgarian officials for not pursuing extradition.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said the probe into Iva Mihajlova's flight from Kočani to Bulgaria remains active and that authorities do not yet have information to share with the public. "When we close it, the public will be informed of everything the Ministry of Interior has done," he said today.
Asked to comment on what he described as a protective stance by Bulgarian officials, who have said they will not seek or extradite Mihajlova, Toshkovski said he regretted Sofia's position.
"I truly regret that Bulgaria is becoming a protector of suspects and convicted criminals. I truly regret it, that does not suit a member state of the European Union and I hope that in the future they will correct their stance toward real implementation and respect of European values, because protecting crime and protecting people who are suspected of crime does not suit a European democratic state," Toshkovski said, responding to reporters after the launch of the National Strategy for Road Traffic Safety 2026–2030.
Iva Mihajlova, who also holds Bulgarian citizenship, fled to Bulgaria on October 11; an international arrest warrant has been issued for her. In North Macedonia she faces criminal proceedings in connection with a traffic accident that resulted in deaths.
She had a court ban on leaving the country, and after her escape the Ministry of Interior reported there was no recorded exit from North Macedonia nor an entry into Bulgaria, saying she crossed the border illegally.
The father of Ivana, Simeon Mihajlov, is also hiding in Bulgaria. He has been definitively sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for attempted murder, and an international arrest warrant has been issued for him as well.
Photo: press material from the event
