site.btaUPDATED CC-DB’s Mirchev : Radev Wants to Ride Populist Wave to Unveil His Political Project

"Radev is counting on this referendum to ride the populist wave and announce his own political project and this is not good for Bulgaria," said Ivaylo Mirchev of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, speaking to journalists. He together with Nikolay Denkov participated in a protest, organized by Justice for Everyone on Friday. The two reacted to President Rumen Radev's proposal for a referendum on the introduction of the euro.

“Bulgaria has already accepted to join the euro area back in 2007 when we joined the EU. We have obligations under the EU treaty to join the euro area. The EC report will be positive and Bulgaria will join the euro area from 2026. Such a referendum has already been rejected by the National Assembly,” Mirchev recalled.

"It is not good Bulgaria's future to be used for the political project of any politician, no matter how much he is approved, like the president of Bulgaria at the moment. Bulgaria's national interest comes first, Bulgaria's national interest is to join the eurozone, not to fulfil Putin's wishes. A referendum on the euro now means only one thing - Kremlin's wish is for a referendum to undermine Bulgaria’s accession of the eurozone," Mirchev said. 

Nikolay Denkov said that it is useful for the people, for the business, for Bulgaria as a whole to be in the centre of Europe. “This is the place that can protect us from all the turbulence and changes that are happening in the world. Our position of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria is absolutely clear and categorical,” he added. 

We have to take all possible steps in the fastest way to be at the table where decisions are taken in Europe. Any deviation from this path actually creates even greater dangers, Denkov added.

In Parliament we will defend our position and in the end the decision will be up to Parliament's, as it is under the Constitution, he said.

Continue the Change co-leader Kiril Petkov commented on Facebook that Continue the Change will do everything in its power for Bulgaria to join the euro area on January 1, 2026 and firmly states that they will not support "this unconstitutional referendum". "Continue the Change with our colleagues from Democratic Bulgaria we will do our best to make Bulgaria part of the heart of Europe."