Iva Mihajlova to be tried in absentia: next hearing on November 9 at 9:00
The decision follows a proposal by the Kočani prosecution, and Bulgaria has so far refused to extradite her, citing citizenship.
Iva Mihajlova will be tried in absentia, under a decision taken on the proposal of the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Kočani, the prosecution announced on October 22. The next hearing is set for November 9, 2026 at 9:00. She is charged with serious criminal offenses against the safety of people and property in traffic.
The reason for trying her in absentia is that, according to the prosecution, state authorities cannot reach her. She, according to available reports, left the country illegally in October, accompanied by her Bulgarian lawyer, and is now in Bulgaria. Mihajlova holds Macedonian and Bulgarian citizenship.
The proceedings concern a traffic accident last year on the Kočani–Štip expressway that had a fatal outcome. Proceedings against her for that accident are already under way before the court in Kočani. She is presumed innocent until a final verdict is delivered.
What is the interstate context? North Macedonia issued an arrest warrant, but Bulgaria, according to Bulgarian authorities, will not extradite her, explaining that she is a Bulgarian citizen and that the Bulgarian Constitution forbids extradition of its own citizens. That is why Macedonian justice is trying to proceed without her.
What does trial in absentia mean? It is proceedings conducted although the defendant is not present, applied only in limited cases. The defendant still has the right to a defense counsel, and in this case her Bulgarian lawyer has been mentioned. What exactly will be allowed at the November 9 hearing will depend on the court and on procedural rules, which the available reports do not clarify.
What is not known? It is not known whether Mihajlova will appear before the court, or whether Bulgaria will provide legal assistance. It is unclear which court made the decision and on what legal grounds, since that is not stated. Nor is it known when the proceedings might end.
What does it mean? Trial in absentia allows the proceedings to continue. But while the two states dispute extradition, the victims and their families remain without the court's final word.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 24, 2026
