Greece has expressed dissatisfaction with the return of the Lion statue from the Soldier's Memorial to the National Palace of Culture, which is due to be completely restored. This was understood by Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva's words during her visit to Italy. "Yesterday, our Director has met with the Ambassador, today my Deputy Minister will see again." There is no formal written position, Greece is our strategic partner, and I deeply doubt that such a thing can affect our wonderful relations. The monument was in front of the Military History Museum for many years and in no case does it represent Bulgaria's claims for territorial borders, "Zaharieva said.

On Thursday, several editions published information from an anonymous source that the authorities in the southern neighbor had protested against the map depicted on the shield under the left lion's paw. It includes territories in which Bulgarian soldiers died in the period 1912 - 1918. According to the information, the protest of Bulgaria's neighbors was expressed before our diplomat in Athens. It is alleged that Greece sees the return of the lion and the map, which coincides with San Stefano Bulgaria, as a provocation and a bad signal ahead of the presidency of the EU Council.

The Greek side has also paid attention to the speech of the Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov at the opening of the memorial. It states that if one looks at the shield map, "it will be clear to everyone - even those who are ashamed to show their political convictions during the holidays - what the Bulgarian army was fighting for and where the Bulgarian soldiers perished ".

Karakachanov commented yesterday that historical facts should not become a reason for creating non-existent conflicts. "I can give examples of monuments in Greece that directly have names that are offensive to us, but I will not do it in the name of the good tone, for example, in almost every town in Greece there is a street called" Vasilios Bulgarobiyetz (Translated to Vasilios The Bulgarian Killer) 

"In the monument in front of the National Palace of Culture there is no hidden context, but there is a return to historical justice, "he said.