Borissov Insists Bulgaria Will Enter the Eurozone on January 1 Despite Protests

GERB leader Boyko Borissov declared in parliament that Bulgaria will enter the eurozone on January 1, stressing that ongoing demonstrations by the opposition will not alter the timeline. He responded to calls for protests from Ivaylo Mirchev, Bozhidar Bozhanov and Martin Dimitrov from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), describing public demonstrations as a normal element of democratic life, while insisting that the process of adopting the euro is already set in motion and will proceed as planned.

Borissov recalled that similar protests erupted in 2020, when Bulgaria entered the eurozone’s waiting room and the European Banking Union, and argued that the situation today mirrors that moment. According to him, even if WCC and DB continue to oppose the transition, Bulgaria will still adopt the euro at the start of the year. He also criticized WCC-DB for aligning themselves with "Revival" during the demonstrations.

He addressed the debate surrounding a possible concession of the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator, saying the procedure would be transparent and competitive. Borissov argued that revenues in the private gambling sector are significantly higher than those of the state operator, and that a concession would include a fee at least twice the current lottery income. He added that increased proceeds, potentially exceeding the present annual figure of roughly 300 million leva (about 153 million euro), would directly support sports financing. He insisted that if the process does not unfold in the manner he described, GERB would withdraw its support.

Borissov rejected claims that Bulgaria faces criticism from the European Commission over its budget. He stated that once the defense derogation is granted, the deficit will reach around 2.7 percent, and he dismissed the idea of pursuing a restrictive budget similar to past austerity policies. He reiterated that under the coalition agreement, the budget passes if two of the three governing parties vote in favor. He also ruled out broad tax increases, saying Bulgaria already maintains some of the lowest rates in the EU, and noted that only the tax on dividends is expected to rise.

He commented as well on the situation in Varna, saying that mayor Blagomir Kotsev, who was recently arrested, should remain in office because he was elected by voters. Borissov argued that municipal councilors should not support his removal.

From the opposing side, WCC-DB representatives sharply criticized the 2026 budget. MP Martin Dimitrov warned that financial discipline is at risk and that the government is missing a critical chance to undertake structural reforms. According to him, the burden of policy failures will fall most heavily on the middle class through tax hikes, increased social security contributions, accumulating public debt and inflation driven by high public spending.

WCC-DB urged the government to halt increases in taxes and insurance rates, including pension contributions, dividend taxes and measures such as SUPTO. Dimitrov said these steps would significantly hurt both households and businesses.

Ivaylo Mirchev and Bozhidar Bozhanov accused the government of planning controversial decisions, including placing the state sports totalizator under private control. They warned that this could create a private monopoly and redirect hundreds of millions of leva away from public use.

The two MPs called for mass participation in the protest later today against what they described as the most problematic budget since the late 1990s, arguing that it undermines Bulgaria’s economic future. They claimed that GERB and Borissov are implementing a financial agenda aligned with Delyan Peevski’s interests, saying this constitutes a direct attack on the country’s middle class.