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7 clusters · 19 sources · 34 days · First seen · Last updated

Bulgaria–North Macedonia Iva Mihaylova dispute

Overview

In late August 2026, the dispute over Iva Mihaylova’s legal and medical status intensified. Bulgarian MP Elizaveta Belobradova confirmed her intention to attend the August 31 court hearing in Kocani. Meanwhile, in Sofia, the NGO ‘Foundation Macedonia’ organized protests to advocate for Mihaylova’s right to emergency medical treatment. Mihaylova’s mother, Hristina Mihailova, described her daughter’s condition as critical, warning of risks including paralysis. Supporters allege that Mihaylova is being prevented from seeking specialized spinal treatment in Bulgaria because her documents were seized by authorities following the October 2025 accident. Mihaylova has reported that eight separate requests for medical travel have been denied, leading her to express doubts regarding the fairness of the judicial process. During the August 31 proceedings, the final witness, police officer Antonio Gigov, testified that he did not witness the collision as he was performing a vehicle inspection. The case continues to be marked by conflicting expert evidence: while one report suggests Mihaylova entered oncoming traffic, two other reports indicate an oncoming vehicle drifted into her lane while attempting to bypass a stopped car, causing the crash. On September 3, 2026, Bulgarian MP Denitsa Sacheva appealed to Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, regarding Mihaylova’s humanitarian case. Sacheva noted that while medical experts from the Mother Teresa University Clinic in Skopje and specialists in both Bulgaria and North Macedonia recommend treatment in Bulgaria, Turkey, or Israel, two judicial instances in North Macedonia have denied permission for her to leave for medical purposes. Sacheva is calling for an immediate investigation into the refusal to allow Mihaylova to access necessary foreign care. By September 5, the Bulgarian government increased its involvement. Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova met with Hristina Mihaylova to express support for the family.

Entities

North Macedonia · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · Iva Mihaylova · Iva Mihailova · Council of Europe

Timeline

  1. 6 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Bulgaria pledges support for Iva Mihaylova medical case

    Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova pledged government support for Iva Mihaylova, a Bulgarian citizen denied permission by North Macedonian authorities to travel to Bulgaria for urgent medical surgery.

  2. 8 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Bulgarian MP appeals to Council of Europe over medical treatment denial

    Bulgarian MP Denitsa Sacheva has called on the Council of Europe to intervene after North Macedonian authorities denied 23-year-old Iva Mihaylova permission to seek essential medical treatment abroad.

  3. 13 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Bulgarian MP to attend Iva Mihailova court hearing in North Macedonia

    Bulgarian MP Elizaveta Belobradova will attend the court hearing of Bulgarian citizen Iva Mihailova in North Macedonia, amid concerns over her health and access to medical treatment.

  4. 22 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Bulgaria intervenes as court denies Iva Mihailova medical travel

    A North Macedonian court has denied dual Bulgarian-Macedonian citizen Iva Mihailova permission to travel to Bulgaria for essential medical treatment while she awaits trial for a road accident.

  5. 29 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Bulgarian MEPs appeal to EU over North Macedonian medical travel restrictions

    Bulgarian MEPs are calling for EU intervention to help Iva Mihailova, a dual Bulgarian-Macedonian citizen prevented by North Macedonian authorities from traveling abroad for urgent spinal medical treatment.

  6. about 1 month ago

    [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Bulgaria urges treatment for citizen Iva Mihaylova denied in North Macedonia

    Bulgaria’s foreign ministry demanded timely medical care for dual‑citizen Iva Mihaylova after the Kocani court again refused her treatment, citing risks of permanent disability and EU accession concerns.

  7. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Bulgarian MPs Defy Entry Ban to Appear in North Macedonian Court

    Bulgarian MPs Krsto Vraçev and Angel Georgiev, barred from entering North Macedonia, attended a Kocani court hearing on dual‑citizen Iva Mihajlova, sparking criticism of Macedonian rule of law and EU concerns.

Sources

actualno.com · beta.delo.si · breaking.bg · defakto.bg · dennews.bg · fakti.bg · lajmpress.org · news.blagoevgrad24.bg · ohridsky.com · petel.bg · pik.bg · ruse.news · safenews.bg · shenja.tv · shqipmedia.com · trafficnews.bg · tribuna.mk · viaranews.com · zoom.mk

This summary has been updated 6 times: see revision history