site.bta Monument to Tsar Samuel Unveiled in Sofia

Monument to Tsar Samuel Unveiled in Sofia

Sofia, June 8 (BTA) - A monument to Tsar Samuel (997-1014) was
unveiled near the St Sophia Basilica in central Sofia on Monday
to commemorate the millennial anniversary of his death. The
monument was built on a donation by Milen Vrabevski, chairman of
 the Bulgarian Memory Foundation and with the support of the
Sofia City Hall.

In a speech, President Rosen Plevneliev said that the deeds of
Tsar Samuel bear relevance to the present, as the nation has to
stand for the democratic Bulgarian statehood and its European
future.

Attending the ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Roumyna
Buchvarova, Deputy National Assembly Chair Krassimir
Karakachanov, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, former caretaker
prime minister Georgi Bliznashki, and members of the public.
Also present was Macedonian Ambassador here Blagoj Handjiski.

Plevneliev went on to say that Samuel is a symbol of the fight
to preserve the Bulgarian statehood.

The President urged that Samuel's relics should be returned to
Bulgaria. They are now kept at the Museum of Byzantine Culture
in Thessaloniki.

Plevneliev voiced a hope that Bulgaria and Macedonia will soon
commemorate the legacy of Tsar Samuel together. He noted the
presence of the Macedonian Orthodox Church leader Archbishop
Stephen together with Patriarch Neophyte on May 1,  the feast
day of Sts Cyril and Methodius, as proof that Bulgaria and
Macedonia can commemorate events shared by the two nations.
Also, the President thanked the Macedonian Ambassador for
attending the unveiling.