Leaders highlight Bulgaria’s adoption of euro in new year’s messages

Sofia (Bulgaria), Jan 1 (BTA) In their New Year’s messages, President Rumen Radev, Parliament leader Raya Nazaryan, and outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov highlighted Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro as its national currency. As of January 1, Bulgaria is the 21st member of the euro area.

“The decision to adopt the single European currency is a strategic choice made at a contentious moment,” President Rumen Radev said in his address to the nation. According to him, the introduction of the euro is the final milestone in Bulgaria’s integration into the European Union – a place that the country deserves thanks to the achievements of its millennia-old culture and its civilizational contribution.

Abandoning the national currency should have taken place only after a national referendum, but those in power chose not to listen to the citizens, he added.

For Bulgaria, 2026 is a pivotal year as the country achieves full membership in the eurozone, enabling it to take its rightful place in the European family, wrote National Assembly Chair Raya Nazarayan in a Facebook post.

Nazaryan expressed hope that this new stage would bring stability, a higher standard of living, a stronger economy and greater national self-confidence, built on vision and unity.

In a New Year address, published on the Council of Ministers’ Facebook page, Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said: "We are welcoming the New Year 2026 as a member of the euro area – a strategic step that brings greater security, financial stability and more opportunities for both citizens and businesses.

This provides a solid foundation for higher incomes, a more competitive economy and sustainable development." Bulgaria adopts the euro exactly 19 years after the country joined the European Union. BTA (Bulgarian News Agency) SKS SKS