Position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
07 August 2026 News
Today, 7 August, the Basic Court in Kočani once again refused to allow Iva Mihailova to undergo the medical treatment she requires.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria expresses its serious concern over the fact that, for more than six months now, the young woman has been unable to receive timely and adequate treatment for the serious neurological condition with which she has been diagnosed.
We draw attention to the fact that an opinion issued by the competent local health authority clearly establishes not only the seriousness of the diagnosis, but also that the prescribed treatment cannot be provided in North Macedonia and that it must therefore be carried out in another country.
We insist that Iva Mihailova be granted access to timely and adequate medical care in order to avert the genuine risk of permanent impairment, with irreversible consequences for her right to a life of dignity.
We recall that all Parties to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms are obliged to protect the human rights of their citizens. In the case of Iva Mihailova, we draw particular attention to respect for the right to life, the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, and the provision of effective legal remedies.
In this context, the European Commission’s consistently negative findings concerning the state of the judicial system in North Macedonia are no coincidence. We emphasise that the rule of law is among the key conditions for any progress by a candidate country towards membership of the European Union.
Safeguarding the lives and health of our compatriots abroad is a standing priority for the Bulgarian state, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to make use of all available international mechanisms to ensure their protection. Iva Mihailova will continue to have the full support of the Bulgarian institutions in her fight for a life of dignity.