Tension in Kocani Court: Prosecutor Threatens Witness Over Testimony

Tensions flared in the courtroom in Kocani (in North Macedonia) after the prosecutor threatened a witness over testimony that could exonerate Iva Mihaylova.

• Kocani Trial: The questioning of the police officer who conducted the post-accident investigation following the crash involving Iva Mihaylova has been going on for hours

David Krstev, who was driving behind Mihaylova at the time of the collision, told the court that she had not left her lane and that he saw her vehicle being hit while it was travelling within its lane.

The prosecutor pointed to what he described as a slight discrepancy between the statement David gave during the investigation in January and the evidence he gave in court today, July 30, and said he would hold the witness accountable.

In January, David stated that he had seen Iva's car jolt without leaving its lane, after which parts of the vehicle began flying off. Today, he testified that he saw Iva's car being hit, after which parts of it began flying off.

• The Court Case in Kocani: Will Iva Mihaylova Be Allowed to Receive Medical Treatment in Bulgaria?

The hearing was adjourned for around 30 minutes and the examination of the witness was expected to resume shortly.

David Krstev is the only witness who says he saw the moment the collision occurred.

However, his testimony refutes the prosecution's case, prompting a strong reaction from the prosecutor.

BNT: What did you see at the moment of the collision? Where was your car and where was Iva's?

David Krstev, witness: "I was driving behind Iva, behind her car. As I was travelling in my lane, I saw her collide with another car in her lane of travel. The black Polo was in her lane."

BNT: "While you were driving behind Iva, did she leave her lane at any point? Did she move to the left or to the right?"

David Krstev, witness: "No. she didn't swerve either left or right. She was simply driving straight ahead."