Bulgaria Completes Collection of 86% of Leva as Euro Circulation Stabilizes

Bulgaria has successfully collected the majority of its national currency. Acting Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski emphasized during the regular briefing of the Coordination Center of the Euro Mechanism that the state is committed to protecting citizens throughout this transition, working closely with regulatory bodies to ensure a smooth process.

Klisurski praised the institutions involved for their effective management so far and highlighted that adopting the common European currency is a gradual process that will span several months. He stressed that the introduction of the euro should not trigger speculative price increases, assuring that such risks will be carefully managed.

Vladimir Ivanov, head of the Euro Mechanism and Chairman of the Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets, reported that 86 percent of all leva in circulation have already been collected, leaving about 4.4 billion leva still in the hands of citizens. He added that the circulation of leva is well-controlled and that euro banknotes are being handled efficiently.

Since the start of 2026, Bulgarian Posts offices have conducted nearly 148,000 currency exchange operations totaling 220 million leva. Ivanov also noted the detection of 13 attempts to circulate counterfeit euro banknotes between February 13 and 18, including several high-denomination 500-euro notes.

The dual display of prices in both leva and euro will continue until August, and commercial banks will offer fee-free currency exchanges until the end of June, Ivanov confirmed. He also reported that the wholesale consumer basket has decreased by 1 euro compared to the previous week, now valued at 57 euros.

On inflation, Ivanov pointed out that price increases are moderate and largely concentrated in the service sector, emphasizing that the introduction of the euro itself is not a significant driver of inflation. Overall, both Klisurski and Ivanov portrayed the euro adoption process as orderly, well-monitored, and designed to protect Bulgarian citizens during the transition.