Bulgaria refuses to extradite Iva Mihajllova to North Macedonia

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior said in an official statement that Iva Mihajllova will not be handed over to North Macedonian authorities. According to the Bulgarian side, a Bulgarian citizen who is not facing criminal prosecution cannot be extradited.

“A citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria may not be extradited to another state or to an international court for the purpose of criminal prosecution, unless this is provided for in an international agreement that has been ratified, promulgated and entered into force for the Republic of Bulgaria,” the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior said in its statement.

The statement concerns the case of Iva Mihajllova, for whom North Macedonia’s Ministry of Interior had issued an international arrest warrant. She left for Bulgaria over the weekend, while in North Macedonia she is facing trial at the Kočani Court over a traffic accident with fatal consequences.

Iva Mihajllova, who holds both North Macedonian and Bulgarian citizenship, is accused in North Macedonia in connection with a road accident that caused fatalities.

After she left the country, authorities issued a central and international arrest warrant. The Kočani Court also ordered her detention for 30 days.

A precautionary measure has been imposed on her, and the authorities have taken her travel documents.