Iva Mihaylova is in Bulgaria. She crossed the border legally yesterday with her lawyer Nikolay Dimitrov and is due to be admitted to Pirogov hospital for treatment, the two said in a TV interview.
Interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev had said earlier that Mihaylova was at Pirogov.
Dimitrov said the two reached a border checkpoint and showed their documents. People on the North Macedonian side knew who Mihaylova was, he said, but nobody said a word.
Mihaylova said she made the decision because she does not feel well. The lawyer said she contacted him yesterday and told him she was unwell, so they decided to bring her to Bulgaria. He said both sides agreed that Bulgarian doctors would examine her. That way Mihaylova comes alone, instead of waiting for commissions to be convened.
Mihaylova described repression because of her Bulgarian origin, which she said lasted a year and a few days. She is glad to be in Bulgaria, where she finally feels safe. The whole nation was with her, she said, and she felt its support throughout the year. She hopes the case will turn out well, and she will decide for herself whether to go back. For now she will stay with her lawyer.
The foreign ministry was not told in advance about the actions of Mihaylova, her family and her lawyer that led to her arrival, and took no part in organising them, it told the BTA news agency in reply to a query. Dimitrov said the ministry does not have to know in advance, because it works through diplomatic channels. He said their approach was not especially diplomatic, but they had to act this way.
The lawyer said nothing could be worse than Mihaylova being left without proper treatment in her own city, with two police cars outside and unlawful entries into her home, only because she is Bulgarian. She will cooperate with the process, but she must take care of her health.
Dimitrov expects them to stay in Bulgaria until the doctors decide, and until Mihaylova feels sure she will not be mistreated in North Macedonia because of her Bulgarian origin.