Tsar Samuel's Remains From Thessaloniki to Sofia: A Greek-Bulgarian Deal, With Skopje Silent
Athens and Sofia have signed a memorandum exchanging what are said to be Tsar Samuel's remains for Bulgaria against 48 church and cultural artifacts returned to Greece — with no official reaction from Skopje.
Athens and Sofia have signed a memorandum exchanging what are said to be Tsar Samuel's remains, held in Greece for decades, which will be transferred to Bulgaria and buried in Sofia, while Greece receives 48 church and cultural artifacts in return. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev hailed the deal as a significant diplomatic achievement.
The figure of Tsar Samuel, a medieval ruler whose legacy is the subject of a long-running historiographical dispute between North Macedonia, Bulgaria and, to some extent, Greece, remains a politically sensitive topic. While Sofia and Athens struck the deal over the remains without consulting Skopje, North Macedonia's government and heritage institutions have so far issued no official reaction to the development.
Skopje's silence comes at a time when questions of shared history and identity are already part of the conditions Bulgaria has set for North Macedonia's path toward the EU, through the demanded constitutional amendments. Analysts believe the absence of an official comment leaves room for further interpretation of the event in public discourse, at a time when symbolic historical questions continue to shape ongoing diplomatic relations in the region.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · September 30, 2026
