King Samuel was the ruler of a large medieval state, which most of modern historians consider to be the Bulgarian kingdom with its center in what is today the Republic of North Macedonia, the Joint Commission on Historical and Educational Affairs, composed of Bulgarian and Macedonian historians, has concluded. The Commission’s official recommendation to the governments in Sofia and Skopje is for joint commemoration of personalities and events from the two countries common history, public broadcaster BNT reported.

The Bulgarian kingdom spanned a significant part of the lands and population of the Balkan Peninsula, the document said. Whose ruler - Bulgarian or Macedonian - was King Samuel is one of the most controversial historical disputes between the two states.

The History Commission concluded that the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius "carried out their mission in the literary centres of Preslav and Ohrid, which were then located on the territory of the medieval Bulgarian state, where their disciples found conditions for work". Historians point out that this fact gives grounds for the two countries to jointly celebrate the day of Cyril and Methodius (May 24 - ed.).