Remains of medieval Bulgarian ruler Czar Samuel return home after decades of talks with Greece

The remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel will arrive in Bulgaria on Saturday, after decades of negotiations with neighbouring Greece. Pic/PTI

The remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel will arrive in Bulgaria on Saturday, after decades of negotiations with neighbouring Greece.

Samuel was a warrior ruler who battled the Byzantine Empire to expand his kingdom, but was ultimately defeated and died shortly afterward in 1014. He is considered a symbol of Bulgaria's national identity.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev attended a ceremony at Thessaloniki's Museum of Byzantine Civilisation, where the remains were kept, before the handover.

"These are items that belong to both our peoples; they constitute our memory and our bond, and our compatriots and future generations deserve and must have the opportunity to pay tribute to their ancestors," Radev said, speaking at the ceremony held in Thessaloniki's Museum of Byzantine Civilisation.

"If in the past Czar Samuel divided us, I can say that today he unites us. He strengthens our strategic cooperation and makes the historical relations between our states and peoples even stronger," Radev said.

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