'Bulgaria is Ahead of Us Again': Romania Watches as Sofia Advances Toward the Euro

Romanian media has been closely following Bulgaria’s progress after the European Commission and European Central Bank released positive convergence reports, signaling that Bulgaria is on track to adopt the euro from January 1, 2026. The development has triggered a wave of coverage across Romanian outlets, which portray the neighboring country’s move as a milestone Romania itself has yet to reach. BTA reported.

Newspaper headlines reflect a mixture of envy, frustration, and resignation: “Bulgaria gets the green light”, “Neighboring country adopts the euro, Romania lags behind”, “Bulgaria is ahead of us again”, “Romania risks losing EU funds while Bulgaria moves toward the euro”, and “We watch from the bench while Bulgaria enters the eurozone”, are among the titles quoted by BTA. One outlet bluntly sums it up: “Bulgaria is taking the decisive step forward, while Romania moves backward.”

The commentary is far from superficial. Publications like Adevarul and Cotidianul dive deeper into the reasons for the discrepancy between the two countries. Adevarul writes: “Bulgarians adopt the euro, Romania stays put. Corruption and political control hinder accession.” Meanwhile, Cotidianul poses the question: “What is Bulgaria doing that Romania is not?” The answer, according to them, lies in consistent discipline - Bulgaria has focused on keeping inflation in check and maintaining currency stability. In April, the country reported a harmonized inflation rate of 2.7%, comfortably below the 2.8% threshold set by eurozone entry rules. Moreover, the lev has been pegged to the euro through a currency board since 1999, fulfilling another key criterion.

The Romanian site 3minute.net paints an even starker contrast: while Romania fails to meet any of the four mandatory convergence criteria, Bulgaria is ticking the boxes one by one and, if things go according to plan, is poised to become the EU’s 21st member to adopt the euro.

The debate has spilled over into social media, where Romanians are equally vocal. One user notes bitterly that “they are simply corrupt in Romania and want to control the currency so they can do whatever they want - just like they’ve already crushed our purchasing power.” Another points out the consequences of keeping the leu: “If we switch to the euro, the state can’t just print money anymore. It would curb tax evasion too.”

Not everyone sees euro adoption as a panacea. Some remind others that countries like Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and the Czech Republic have also opted to keep their currencies. Still, there’s an ironic twist in the public mood. One widely shared comment reads: “In Bulgaria, the government really wants the euro, but the people are 65% against it. In Romania, the people are 70% in favor, but the government doesn’t want it.”

Others highlight the consequences of long-standing economic policies. One user criticizes Romania’s inflation-heavy approach, noting that “we chose economic development, which came with inflation and budget deficits. And not even from investments, but from imbalances. If we were aiming for the euro, Romania would look different today.” The comment ends with a sharp observation: “When you have your own currency, you can print your way out of a crisis. With the euro, you’re stuck - like the Greeks.”

Another comment shifts the focus to the deeper structural issues: “Our trade balance is falling apart. We produce nothing. And we don’t even have real investment in our financial markets - just that joke of a third pillar on the stock exchange.”