Crisis or Not, Bulgaria Is Going Euro - EC Makes It Final

The European Commission made clear that Bulgaria’s planned entry into the Eurozone remains unchanged, regardless of the political uncertainty in Sofia. At a regular press briefing, a Commission spokesperson explained that all formal decisions concerning Bulgaria’s admission have already been approved and remain valid. According to him, the political turbulence in the country does not affect these commitments, nor does it create grounds for revisiting the timeline.

Responding to a question about whether the situation in Bulgaria could lead to a change in the plans for January 1 next year, the spokesperson noted that there is no such scenario under consideration. He added that the criteria for joining the Eurozone are well defined and that Bulgaria has met the required conditions. This includes the obligations laid out when the euro adoption process was set in motion, as well as the technical and legal steps completed by the authorities.

The Commission representative stressed that the position is straightforward. Once a country meets the convergence requirements and the necessary decisions are adopted at the European level, the path toward introducing the euro is established. In his words, the expectation is that Bulgaria will proceed with the transition as arranged. The summary provided at the briefing reiterated that the euro is scheduled to become Bulgaria’s currency on January 1.

The topic gained additional attention in Bulgaria earlier in the day after the "Revival" party announced that it would push for a vote in the National Assembly, instructing the Council of Ministers to request a one-year delay of the country’s Eurozone entry. The party intends to propose a parliamentary decision that would formally oblige the government to seek postponement. This domestic political initiative, however, has no bearing on the Commission’s current stance, which remains anchored in the decisions already taken at the European level.

Despite the debate unfolding in Sofia, the EU’s position presented at the briefing emphasized continuity. The institutions in Brussels consider the matter settled from a procedural point of view, highlighting that Bulgaria has fulfilled the conditions for membership and that the timetable for adopting the euro stands as planned.