The case of Iva Mihajlova, accused in connection with a fatal traffic accident, has escalated into a diplomatic dispute between Macedonia and Bulgaria. Mihajlova is currently in Bulgaria, and Bulgarian authorities have stated that they cannot extradite her due to legal and constitutional restrictions regarding the surrender of their own citizens. Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has announced that he intends to bring the matter before NATO and the European Union.
Accused in a fatal traffic accident
The proceedings against Mihajlova stem from a serious traffic accident that occurred on the Kochani–Shtip motorway on October 7, 2025. A 33-year-old man died in the head-on collision between two vehicles, and several other people sustained injuries.
Court denied permission for medical treatment in Bulgaria
Mihajlova’s Macedonian and Bulgarian passports were confiscated, and the court imposed measures restricting her ability to leave the country. Her defense team requested the temporary return of her passports so she could travel to Bulgaria for medical treatment, arguing that the necessary care for her spinal injury could not be obtained in Macedonia. The Kochani Basic Court rejected the request, and the Shtip Appellate Court upheld the decision on August 20. The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently criticized the ruling, stating that she had been denied the necessary medical treatment outside of Macedonia.
Two conflicting accounts of the border crossing
In October, Mihajlova showed up in Sofia. She and her Bulgarian lawyer, Nikolai Dimitrov, claimed that they had crossed the border legally, via an official border crossing point, using personal identification documents. The Macedonian Ministry of Interior, however, stated that there is no record in the system of Mihajlova exiting Macedonia. Furthermore, checks conducted through the joint contact center revealed that the Bulgarian Border Police also had no record of her legal entry into Bulgaria.