Iva Mihaylova returns to Bulgaria from North Macedonia

Twenty-three-year-old Iva Mihaylova, who was seriously injured in a car accident in North Macedonia, has returned to Bulgaria after months of seeking permission to receive medical treatment at home. She is expected to be treated at Pirogov Hospital in Sofia, as her health has deteriorated.

President Iliyana Yotova said she had learned of Mihaylova’s return that morning and that many circumstances surrounding her departure from North Macedonia remained unclear. She said the competent Bulgarian authorities should first establish the facts and expressed her willingness to meet Mihaylova if her health permits. The president stressed that the immediate priority was to ensure the young woman received the necessary medical care.

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said the Foreign Ministry had not been informed in advance of the trip and had not organised it. She described the situation as the result of a humanitarian case that had not received an adequate response in North Macedonia, leading to what she called desperate actions. Petrova stressed that Mihaylova must be given access to appropriate treatment in Bulgaria as soon as possible and said the ministry would continue to assist within its remit.

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev announced that the authorities would investigate when and how Mihaylova crossed the border and determine whether she needed protection. Mihaylova and her lawyer maintain that they entered Bulgaria legally through an official border crossing. The legal proceedings against her in North Macedonia remain a separate matter.