VMRO-DPMNE rejects Bulgarian invitation to Tsar Samuil relic ceremony

The VMRO-DPMNE political party has responded to an invitation from Bulgarian politician Krassimir Karakachanov, who requested that party leader and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski attend the transfer of Tsar Samuil’s relics to Bulgaria.

VMRO-DPMNE stated that the invitation should instead be directed to former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Venko Filipce, whom they characterized as Karakachanov’s like-minded allies. The party criticized Zaev and Filipce for their previous stances regarding Bulgarian history and the Macedonian language, labeling their political approach as “shameful and treacherous” in relation to the Prespa Agreement and the Bulgarian Good Neighborliness Agreement.

In addressing the relocation of Tsar Samuil’s relics, the party drew a comparison to King Richard I of England, noting that while his relics are in France, it does not make him French. VMRO-DPMNE concluded by acknowledging Bulgaria’s respect for Tsar Samuil’s legacy while maintaining a distinct historical identity for the figure in Macedonian history.