The Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued a warrant for Iva Mihajlova (23) from Kocani, the woman charged with causing a fatal traffic accident who fled to Bulgaria and was welcomed as a hero there.

Mihajlova is the suspect in the accident that happened a year ago, in which she drove into the opposite lane on the Kocani expressway and hit a car in which a young man was killed and another was badly injured. Mihajlova was raised as a cause by Bulgaria, her prosecution allegedly illustrating the mistreatment of Bulgarians in Macedonia, and Bulgarian officials would constantly raise her issue in the European Union. Her father, who is also a dual Macedonian – Bulgarian citizen and is also a fugitive with a lengthy prison sentence in Macedonia for racketeering, would organize protests in Sofia on her behalf.

Bulgaria is unlikely to honor the arrest warrant, as top officials there have announced their intention to meet with her and provide her with protection. Meanwhile, the family of the killed man Besim Durmishi (33) from the village of Ljuboten near Skopje said that they want justice in the case.