{"id":667092,"date":"2026-01-01T15:39:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T15:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/667092\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T15:39:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T15:39:14","slug":"bulgaria-joins-eurozone-despite-opposition-dw-01-01-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/667092\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulgaria joins eurozone despite opposition \u2013 DW \u2013 01\/01\/2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bulgaria<\/a> adopted the euro<\/a> on Thursday despite opposition in some sectors of society.<\/p>\n

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB)<\/a>, welcomed Bulgaria’s inclusion in the eurozone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“The euro is a powerful symbol of what Europe can achieve when we work together, and of the shared values and collective strength that we can leverage to confront the global geopolitical uncertainty that we face at the moment,” she said in a statement.<\/p>\n

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The Balkan country, an EU member since 2007, joins the single currency zone<\/a>\u00a0after Croatia’s entry in January 2023.<\/p>\n

The move brings the number of Europeans using the currency to more than 350 million. Its accession leaves only six of the 27 EU nations outside the currency union: Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Denmark.<\/p>\n

Public split on euro adoption<\/p>\n

Although President Rumen Radev called the euro adoption the “final step” in Bulgaria’s EU integration, he voiced regret that Bulgarians had not been consulted by referendum on the adoption.<\/p>\n

“This refusal was one of the dramatic symptoms of the deep divide between the political class and the people, confirmed by mass demonstrations across the country,” he said in a New Year’s Eve address.<\/p>\n

\"BulgarianThe \u20ac1 coin features Bulgarian patron saint John of Rila, regarded as the founder of the Rila Monastery, the largest in the countryImage: Spasiyana Sergieva\/Illustration\/REUTERS<\/p>\n

According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, 49% of Bulgarians were against the switch.<\/p>\n

In recent days, business owners and shopkeepers have reported difficulty obtaining euros, with some not receiving ordered starter packages.<\/p>\n

Banks also warned of potential card payment and ATM withdrawal disruptions.<\/p>\n

The fixed exchange rate is 1.95583 levs per euro.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Sean Sinico<\/p>\n