The case of Bulgarian-North Macedonian citizen Iva Mihaylova, who is seeking permission to travel to Bulgaria for medical treatment, could ultimately be taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, her defense has said. An appeal is being prepared under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, with the aim of challenging the restrictions that have prevented Mihaylova from leaving North Macedonia for treatment.
Her lawyers argue that the European institutions could provide a route for securing the return of her passport and permission to travel. They say Mihaylova is being prosecuted for an offense involving negligence rather than an intentional crime, has no previous criminal record and requires treatment that, according to medical assessments, is not available in North Macedonia.
The issue was raised again following Monday's hearing at the Basic Court in Kocani, where the final non-expert witness in the traffic accident case was heard and testimony began from accident-reconstruction experts. The proceedings concern an October 2025 crash in which one person died and several others, including Mihaylova, were injured.
A police officer who was conducting a road-safety operation at the time told the court that he did not see the collision itself, but heard the impact. He said a vehicle that had been stopped for a police check did not obstruct traffic.
