President Iotova Briefed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the Case of Iva Mihaylova

President Iliana Iotova presented the case of Iva Mihaylova to Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. Mihaylova is a young woman with North Macedonian and Bulgarian citizenship who has been denied access to medical treatment in Bulgaria because she is facing legal proceedings in Kočani.

The Bulgarian National Television (BNT) was the first to raise the issue of the young woman from North Macedonia, who was seriously injured in a road accident on the road to Štip in early October last year.

“Iva’s case is a precedent for the violation of human rights – a personal tragedy is being turned into a political issue,” Iotova stressed.

She was adamant that Bulgaria cannot and does not want to interfere in the administration of justice in the Republic of North Macedonia, but insists that Iva Mihaylova, who has already suffered serious injuries, be given access to the medical treatment she needs.

The President said Bulgaria had offered Skopje either to have Iva treated in Bulgaria or to send a medical team from Bulgaria for a consultation, but the North Macedonian side had not agreed.

Iotova will send the Secretary General detailed information about the case. Berset, for his part, said that the Council of Europe does not examine individual cases, but that he would be interested in reviewing this one because it could form part of a broader picture of the protection of human rights. A letter concerning Iva Mihaylova has already been sent to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.

One of the main topics of the talks in Strasbourg was the process of reforming the Council of Europe so that it can respond adequately to the new reality and keep pace with rapid changes. The President stressed that the political role of the institution, which was established in the very different post-war years following the Second World War, should be strengthened.

“The Council of Europe should focus on two main issues – achieving peace and the effective protection of human rights. The Council should become a platform for peace,” Iliana Iotova said.

The President stressed that Europe should be a united continent and that double standards should not be applied, with some member states failing to comply with decisions of the Council of Europe. The head of state noted that Bulgaria would present its position on the planned reforms to the Council of Europe. Berset, for his part, stressed that Bulgaria is a very important member of the Council of Europe.

The meeting, which was also attended by Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov, focused on the completion of monitoring of the implementation of judgments in the group of cases OMO Ilinden v. Bulgaria from 2006.

Berset stressed that Bulgaria was making progress in the concrete implementation of measures to guarantee freedom of association. He expressed hope that the monitoring would be lifted in March next year. The meeting was also attended by Gianluca Esposito, Director General for Human Rights and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe Secretariat, whom the president met in Sofia in July to discuss the same issue.

Iva Mihaylova’s Treatment Case Could Be Taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg