site.btaCentral Bank Governor: Euro Adoption Continues Path Bulgaria Has Long Followed
The adoption of the euro is not the result of a sudden turn, but continues a path Bulgaria has been following for many years, said Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Governor Dimitar Radev. He was speaking during a presentation of the latest issue of BTA's LIK magazine, titled "Bulgarian Money". The event is taking place in the BNB headquarters in Sofia and is being streamed live online.
According to Radev, there is no more appropriate place for a discussion dedicated to Bulgarian money than the BNB’s tellers' hall. "This place reminds us that money is not just banknotes and coins. It is a matter of trust. That is why we not only welcome but also support the initiative of the Bulgarian News Agency and LIK magazine to leave an intellectual mark of this important moment: the introduction of the new Bulgarian money," he said.
Radev noted that the euro has a long history, marked by periods of stability as well as times of difficulty, crises, and loss of confidence.
"Our monetary history leaves important lessons. Perhaps one of the most important of them is that the resilience and strength of money do not depend on its name or its symbols, but on the rules, institutions, and discipline behind it," Radev said.
He quoted British economist John Maynard Keynes, who described money as a social institution based on trust.
The BNB Governor pointed out that the most stable periods in Bulgaria’s monetary history have been associated with the application of clear rules and limited discretion, stressing that such a period was the years with a currency board arrangement.
"One such period was the currency board arrangement, which ended only a few days ago. There are many reasons for the success of the currency board, but perhaps one of the most important is that it had a clear anchor of stability and predictability, and that anchor was the euro. Now the euro moves from being our reserve currency to becoming our national currency. In this sense, our new money is not the result of short-term circumstances or a sharp turn, but rather the continuation of a path we have been following for many years," Dimitar Radev said.
Radev emphasized that the Bulgarian lev remains an inseparable part of Bulgaria’s history, and that the symbols historically associated with Bulgarian money are preserved in the euro. "The Cyrillic script and national symbols are there. In this sense, our new money is not a loss of identity, but rather a powerful affirmation of our identity in a way that until recently was impossible," he said.
According to the BNB Governor, the introduction of the euro is a symbol of a new beginning for the country. "That is why I believe this discussion should not be about nostalgia, but about the future - a future built on a better framework for predictable and sustainable economic policy based on trust," he said.
Radev expressed confidence that the new chapter in Bulgaria’s monetary history will be "a story of stability and prosperity".
/DD/
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