The Bulgarian government will make all necessary efforts to achieve justice in the case of 23-year-old Bulgarian citizen Iva Mihaylova, who is blocked in the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM). This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova during the meeting held today with Hristina Mihaylova, the mother of the young girl. The case caused a serious public outcry in Bulgaria, after successive refusals by the court in Kochani prevented our compatriot from receiving treatment in her homeland.
During the conversation, Minister Velislava Petrova expressed her deep institutional and personal empathy for the difficult situation the family is in. Our Foreign Ministry has already taken a number of coordinated steps together with the Ministry of Health to protect the girl's rights. "I ask you to convey to Iva that she is not alone and can fully rely on our help in this difficult moment," emphasized Petrova, quoted in the official press center announcements (source: www.dariknews.bg).
The "Iva Mihaylova" case dates back almost a year, after the young woman was accused of a serious accident in the RSM. Since then, local magistrates have imposed a ban on her leaving the city of Kochani. To date, numerous refusals of her requests for temporary entry into Bulgaria for the purpose of urgent surgical intervention, recommended by medical specialists, have been documented. Her relatives are alarmed that the lack of adequate treatment endangers her health and poses a risk of permanent disability (source: www.nova.bg).
Bulgaria remains firmly committed to the case and will continue to insist on the observance of the right to a fair trial and respect for human rights. At the end of August, Bulgarian MPs from different political forces attended the court hearing in Kochani in person to inspect the progress of the case. At the same time, a civil demonstration was held in front of the RSM embassy in Sofia in support of the detained Bulgarian woman (source: www.vesti.bg). The government assures that diplomatic pressure for a quick and successful resolution of the humanitarian problem will continue with full force.