Foreign minister Velislava Petrova will raise the issue of Iva Mihaylova today in a meeting with her North Macedonian counterpart Timcho Mucunski, she told reporters before the International Ministerial Conference on Corridor 8. The North Macedonian side asked for the meeting and Petrova agreed. See our original report: Yotova reports to the UN on the case of Iva Mihaylova from Kochani.

"I will raise the issue of Iva Mihaylova and I hope they are ready to help," Petrova said.

She expects the North Macedonians to talk about European integration, on which Bulgaria has a clear position. "I hope to hear a wish to move forward from their side," the minister added.

A journalist asked whether she expects a provocation over the remains of Tsar Samuel. Petrova said she sincerely hopes there will be none and that she is not looking for one herself. She said Bulgaria has always been ready for open dialogue.

Last week, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reportedly advised North Macedonia's prime minister Hristijan Mickoski that Mucunski should seek a meeting with the Bulgarian foreign minister at the upcoming meeting in Sofia. Von der Leyen sees this as an attempt to put the country back on the path to talks with the EU.