Bulgaria has imposed a 10-year entry ban on lawyer Toni Menkinoski, who represents Macedonians before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The ban was issued on 6 March at a border crossing, without prior legal proceedings or a concrete official explanation.

Bulgarian authorities officially cited security reasons. Menkinoski, however, believes the decision is directly linked to his work - representing Macedonian citizens before the European Court of Human Rights and the successes he achieves there.

"I am launching a legal offensive against Bulgaria's decision. I will use every legal mechanism available," Menkinoski stated. He plans to appeal to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Parliament, the OSCE, and the United Nations.

The Macedonian government stated it would "use all available tools" to protect its citizens' rights. The decision has been interpreted in parts of Macedonian political discourse as pressure against any initiative affirming the existence of the Macedonian people.

The Menkinoski case has become a symbol - not merely a legal dispute between a lawyer and a neighbouring state, but a broader political signal revealing institutional pressure on advocates of Macedonian rights.