Bulgaria intervenes as court denies Iva Mihailova medical travel

The Štip Court has upheld a decision by the Kočani Court to deny Iva Mihailova permission to travel to Bulgaria for necessary medical treatment. Mihailova, a 23-year-old with dual Bulgarian and Macedonian citizenship, is currently involved in a legal case regarding a road traffic accident that occurred last October.

Mihailova claims the accident happened when an oncoming vehicle entered her lane to avoid a police vehicle. While prosecution experts suggest she was at fault for crossing the center line, two independent expert reports indicate the oncoming vehicle encroached 90 to 95 centimeters into her lane.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed serious concern regarding the ruling, stating that the court appears to have disregarded medical assessments regarding the severity of her condition. The Ministry emphasized that the required medical intervention is not elective but essential to prevent irreversible health consequences. Bulgaria has stated it will utilize all available diplomatic and legal mechanisms to ensure Mihailova receives timely treatment.