{
  "id": 11680039,
  "title": "Greece returns remains of Czar Samuel to Bulgaria",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/greece-returns-remains-of-czar-samuel-to-bulgaria",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T12:17:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW English (Top Stories)",
    "slug": "dw-english-top-stories",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/greece-returns-remains-of-czar-samuel-to-bulgaria/a-79530104?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-xml-mrss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Greece is set to return the remains of Czar Samuel to Bulgaria following decades of negotiations, marking a significant step in relations between the two Balkan nations. Czar Samuel governed the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014, expanding his control over a large portion of the Balkans, including an area now part of North Macedonia. However, his reign was marked by frequent confrontations with the Byzantine Empire, culminating in his defeat at the Battle of Kleidion in 1014. According to legend, Czar Samuel perished from shock after witnessing the blinded soldiers of the defeated army, commanded by Byzantine Emperor Basil II, known as Boulgaroktonos – the Bulgar Slayer. Despite Bulgaria falling under Byzantine control four years later, Czar Samuel remains a symbol of Bulgarian national identity. His remains, discovered in a Greek border region 60 years ago, are expected to arrive in Sofia on a military aircraft, accompanied by a fighter jet escort, a 21-gun salute, and a procession to the Church of St. Sophia, where the public will pay their respects. Free trains will be provided for the occasion, and 750 police will be on duty during the handover ceremony. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, speaking at a ceremony in Greece, emphasized the symbolic importance of the remains, stating that they embody the shared memory and bond between the Bulgarian and Greek peoples. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged the cultural and spiritual value of the remains, noting that the global community is reassessing its stance on cultural heritage protection. In response, Greece will receive 48 sentimental objects stolen by Bulgarian troops from churches and monasteries in northern Greece during World War I. Greek academics and religious leaders have criticized the exchange as insufficient, but Mitsotakis hopes that the ceremony will strengthen Greece's campaign to return the Parthenon Marbles to Athens. Despite Bulgaria's claim to Czar Samuel, the remains will also be received with full honors in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, where he is also celebrated. The handover has sparked controversy, with Albanian-language newspaper Koha noting that the conflict over Samuel's remains continues between Skopje and Sofia. Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova, seeking to attract patriotic voters, has promoted a more neutral stance between the EU, NATO, and Russia, using the return of the remains to underscore Bulgarian identity among the Slavic population of Macedonia.",
  "summary": "A warrior emperor who ruled the Bulgarian Empire in the Middle Ages, Czar Samuel is a symbol of Bulgarian national identity. But his remains have been in Greece for decades – and he is also claimed by North Macedonia.",
  "key_points": [
    "Greece to return Czar Samuel's remains to Bulgaria after decades of negotiations",
    "Czar Samuel ruled First Bulgarian Empire 997-1014, expanded Balkan control",
    "Remains to be escorted to Sofia in military aircraft with honors"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/11680039.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel will arrive in Bulgaria after decades of talks with Greece",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/remains-of-medieval-ruler-czar-samuel-will-arrive-in-bulgaria-after",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:46:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Greece returns remains of Czar Samuel to Bulgaria",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/greece-returns-remains-of-czar-samuel-to-bulgaria-11681357",
        "published": "2026-10-03T12:17:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Bulgaria's Tsar Samuel returns 'home' after 1,000 years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/bulgarias-tsar-samuel-returns-home-after-1-000-years",
        "published": "2026-10-03T12:34:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "A 1,000-year-old homecoming: Bulgaria gets possible remains of Tsar Samuel",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/a-1-000-year-old-homecoming-bulgaria-gets-possible-remains-of-tsar",
        "published": "2026-10-03T13:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}