EU Court Throws Out Requests to Pause Bulgaria’s Euro Adoption

The Court of Justice of the European Union has rejected a request to temporarily suspend the planned introduction of the euro in Bulgaria, according to rulings issued by the President of the General Court. The applications sought an interim measure to block the EU Council’s decision and regulation setting Bulgaria’s euro adoption date for January 1, 2026.

Court sources in Luxembourg noted that such interim measures are granted only in exceptional circumstances. In this case, the judges also have not yet ruled on whether the appeals themselves are admissible, meaning the procedural review of the cases is still ongoing.

Two separate cases were examined. The first, T-653/25 R (“Member State and Others v. Council of the EU”), was submitted by several applicants whose identities were anonymized. It was filed through lawyers Rumyana Chenalova and Stanimir Minkov. The second case, T-654/25 R (“Stoyanov v. Council of the EU”), was brought by Bulgarian MEP Stanislav Stoyanov, who is affiliated with the "Revival" party and the far-right “Europe of Sovereign Nations” group in the European Parliament.

In both rulings, the court issued identical conclusions, stating that the applications for interim measures were dismissed and that no decision was made regarding costs. The court also reiterated the strict criteria required for such requests to be granted, including that the main action must not be clearly unfounded, that there must be a risk of serious and irreversible harm without the measures, and that the balance of interests must justify intervention.

Even though the euro has already been introduced in Bulgaria, EU courts can still reject requests for suspension because interim measures are designed to prevent future actions, not to reverse decisions that have already taken effect. Once a policy like euro adoption is implemented, legal challenges may continue, but they cannot undo the practical and institutional changes that have already been completed.

Separately, the report also refers to another legal development involving a complaint connected to Bulgaria’s central banking leadership. A published opinion by an Advocate General indicates that the dismissal of a former Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank was lawful. The case relates to a complaint filed by an individual identified as A.G., believed to be Andrey Gyurov, according to sources cited by Bulgarian National Radio.