Greece and Bulgaria seal deal to return Tsar Samuel's remains and historic relics

Greece and Bulgaria have concluded a bilateral agreement to repatriate the skeletal remains identified as those of the 10th-century Bulgarian ruler Tsar Samuel, a figure revered as a national hero. The remains were uncovered by archaeologist Nikolaos Moutsopoulos during excavations at the Basilica of Saint Achillios on an island in Prespa Lake and have been stored at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki. Signed by the culture ministers of both countries, the memorandum also provides for the return of almost 50 religious artifacts that were moved to Bulgaria during the First World War.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the deal as a historic breakthrough, ending six decades of efforts to bring the bones home. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Radev are slated to attend a formal handover on October 3 at the museum, highlighting renewed cultural cooperation between the neighboring states.