The claim that Iva Mikhailova’s grandmother was detained in North Macedonia and that her whereabouts are unknown remains unconfirmed. The currently available reports by Bulgarian media and institutions contain no information that the elderly woman was arrested, questioned or declared wanted.
It has been confirmed that Iva Mikhailova has been in Bulgaria since October 12, 2026. She is a defendant in a case in Kočani concerning a crash on October 7, 2025, in which one person was killed and several others were injured. Mikhailova holds Bulgarian and Macedonian citizenship.
On November 9, the court in Kočani refused to include her in the hearing via videoconference and ruled that the proceedings would continue without her physical presence. The next hearing is scheduled for November 27. The defense presented two technical expert reports stating that the oncoming vehicle had entered Mikhailova’s lane. Her lawyer, Nikolay Dimitrov, said: “Our next move is to challenge the court decision itself.”
North Macedonia has issued an arrest warrant and an international wanted notice for Mikhailova. Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry said that, at present, no Interpol Red Notice had been issued and that the Bulgarian authorities had not taken steps to establish her whereabouts in Bulgaria. This information concerns Iva Mikhailova, not her grandmother.
What Iva Mikhailova claims
In an interview with BNT, Mikhailova said that she had been under constant surveillance in Kočani in recent months. According to her, police officers had been stationed outside her home, searches had been carried out, and drones had flown over the house. She described what had happened as “psychological harassment,” but these claims have not been confirmed by the North Macedonian authorities.
Earlier, people close to Mikhailova reported that she was being looked after in Kočani by her grandmother and grandfather. The latest verified reports contain no information that her grandmother had been detained. In the absence of an official statement or confirmation from a reliable source, the claim cannot be presented as fact.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg, bntnews.bg, bnrnews.bg