English
A representative from the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria—serving as Chargé d’Affaires in the absence of Ambassador Zhelyazko Radukov—was summoned today to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, as reported by the Ministry, dissatisfaction was expressed regarding a recent statement by the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ivan Demerdzhiev, concerning the case of Iva Mihajlova; the statement was characterized as offensive and provocative.
The Ministry also expressed dissatisfaction with a statement made by Ambassador Radukov to the Bulgarian television channel bTV, viewing it as direct interference in the country’s internal affairs, given the characterizations made regarding the work of the competent institutions. It was specifically emphasized that such provocations steer the bilateral dialogue away from the framework within which good-neighborly relations should develop—a framework based on mutual respect, restraint, and constructive communication, the Ministry stated.
In this context, it was noted that such conduct could necessitate an appropriate institutional response, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which clearly defines the scope of diplomatic activity and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the receiving state. At the conclusion of the meeting, our commitment to developing good-neighborly relations—based on mutual respect, trust, and European principles—was reaffirmed; we expect a corresponding level of commitment and responsibility from the Bulgarian side, the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) noted.
Discussing the case in an interview/podcast, Ivan Demerdzhiev confirmed that Bulgaria had received an extradition request from the Macedonian authorities, but emphasized that Sofia has no intention of extraditing Mihajlova. Addressing the matter, Demerdzhiev stated that the Bulgarian police would not hand Mihajlova over to the “Serbian authorities”—referring directly to the Macedonian state authorities.
“The answer is no—we are neither seeking her nor will we hand her over to the Serbian authorities,” he said. When the journalist, Karbovski, asked if this was a slip of the tongue, Demerdzhiev admitted he had made a mistake, but added that it was “not such a big mistake.”
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Macedonia, Zhelyazko Radukov, made statements that further strained diplomatic relations; the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized these remarks as direct interference in the country’s internal affairs. In an interview with the Bulgarian television station bTV, Radukov stated that he “would be extremely surprised if the Macedonian authorities were unaware of Iva Mihajlova’s departure.” He openly questioned how it was possible for her to leave the country without their knowledge or some form of coordination, given the active judicial restrictions, the confiscation of her travel documents, and the police measures in place.