Bulgarian MEPs appeal to EU over North Macedonian medical travel restrictions

Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have issued an urgent joint appeal to European Union leadership regarding the case of 22-year-old Iva Mihailova, a citizen of both Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Mihailova sustained severe spinal injuries in a traffic accident in October 2025. In July 2026, a medical board at the University Clinical Center in Skopje confirmed that the necessary surgical intervention is unavailable in North Macedonia and requires treatment abroad. However, on August 7, 2026, the Basic Court in Kočani rejected her request for the temporary return of her confiscated passport.

MEPs Andrey Kovachev and Ivaylo Valchev stated that the court arbitrarily raised the burden of proof after previously requesting the specific medical opinion that necessitated the travel. The MEPs described the situation as an urgent humanitarian crisis with a real risk of permanent neurological damage, while also highlighting systemic issues within the North Macedonian judicial system. They cited procedural irregularities, including the alleged targeting of the sole eyewitness who testified in Mihailova's favor. The delegation is calling for immediate EU intervention to ensure Mihailova can travel for medical treatment and for a formal explanation regarding the changes in evidentiary standards used by the court.