Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dimitar Glavchev has revealed that a hygienist was found to have conducted interviews for Bulgarian citizenship at the Bulgarian consulate in Bitola, North Macedonia. This revelation came after a report of irregularities prompted an inspection at the consulate, which confirmed the breach.

According to Glavchev, the Consulate General in Bitola has since terminated the involvement of Vesna Kotevska in any activities beyond her duties as a hygienist. Following the inspection, Kotevska has been stripped of access to the consular archives and the general functions of the consulate.

The inspection uncovered additional issues. Glavchev also addressed concerns about a call center operated by a Macedonian company that had been providing appointment services at both the consulate in Bitola and the embassy in Skopje. This arrangement allowed a legally ambiguous entity to access, systematize, and archive personal data of tens of thousands of individuals applying for Bulgarian citizenship and other consular services.

The call center operated under unclear terms, with undisclosed call rates for users and consulate staff. In response to these findings, Glavchev confirmed that the contract with the company has been terminated.