Bulgarian MPs Defy Entry Ban to Appear in North Macedonian Court

Two Bulgarian members of parliament from the Rilindja (Vazrazhdane) party, Krsto Vraçev and Angel Georgiev, have been sentenced to a one‑year ban on entering North Macedonia. Despite the ban, they attended a court hearing in Kocani concerning 23‑year‑old Iva Mihajlova, a dual Macedonian‑Bulgarian citizen accused of causing a fatal traffic accident. The ban was imposed for an illegal crossing of the Macedonian‑Greek border and unlawful stay in June of the previous year. At the hearing the MPs criticised the rule of law in Macedonia and sent a message to the European Union alleging pressure on a girl identified as Bulgarian. Macedonia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said it cannot disclose personal entry‑exit data to third parties and that such information is released only on request of competent authorities or the individuals concerned. Mihajlova and her lawyer deny guilt and have asked for the return of her passports so she can travel to Sofia; a new request, supported by a medical‑expert opinion, has been filed with the Basic Court in Kocani, with a decision expected next week.