Skopje summons Bulgarian ambassador as Mihailova row grows
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An international arrest warrant for Iva Mihailova has turned a criminal matter into a diplomatic one. After Sofia received the fugitive, Skopje summoned the Bulgarian ambassador and reminded its neighbor that EU members are generally expected to extradite wanted individuals to face justice.
The domestic fallout has reached former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and former health minister Venko Filipce. The pair face allegations they pressured a doctor to provide Mihailova with a diagnosis requiring treatment in Bulgaria, purportedly to satisfy a blackmail attempt by the Bulgarian president.
The release of former deputy premier Artan Grubi from house arrest was marked by flares and smoke bombs, a level of public interest rarely afforded to administrative procedures. Meanwhile, the government announced a new care home in Ohrid will open by year-end; local pensioners noted that they have a building, but not yet the pensions to afford it.