site.btaPolitical Reactions to President's Proposal for Euro Referendum Continue on Saturday

Political reactions continued on Saturday following Friday's address to the nation of President Rumen Radev, who said he will table to Parliament a proposal for a referendum on the adoption of the euro. He specified he will propose the following question for the referendum: “Do you agree for Bulgaria to adopt the single European currency euro in 2026?".

The first wave of reactions by government and political leaders was on Friday evening. Following are Saturday's reactions and comments.

Approached for comment, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova told journalists she expects that President Radev’s proposal for a referendum will be supported by sound reasoning when it reaches the legislature. “No such proposal has been submitted to the National Assembly yet. That is to say, it is an intention. Second, the President has the right to make a proposal for the National Assembly to consider whether a national referendum should be conducted. And finally, when the proposal is submitted, I hope it is well-reasoned so that the arguments can be substantiated.” She recalled that, on two occasions, the Constitutional Court has made decisions about the National Assembly’s entitlement to call national referendums on certain matters, and one of these decisions, made last year, was about the euro changeover. “The way the issue was presented, without reasoning, is disputable,” Kiselova commented. According to her, the matter is within the competence of two parliamentary committees, on Budget and Finance and on Constitutional and Legal Affairs. “I hope the committees will familiarize themselves with the reasoning in detail in a matter of weeks,” she added.

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov told Darik Radio: "Bulgaria chose its path long ago, and it is pro-European." Stankov underscored that the National Assembly is already taking all necessary steps for Bulgaria to join the eurozone, but this process does not depend on any kind of referendum – it hinges on the convergence reports from the European Commission and the European Central Bank, expected to be released on June 4. "With the same reasoning, the President could have proposed a different referendum, one that directly concerns me as energy minister and every Bulgarian citizen: 'Do Bulgarian citizens agree to continue paying BGN 1,050,000 per day under the [natural gas supply] contract with Botas?' That referendum would be just as legitimate as the one currently being proposed," Stankov argued. He added that he sees the proposed euro referendum as an initiative serving the President’s personal political interests over Bulgaria’s long-term development, calling it a form of political bidding. Stankov stressed that the main objective of the Government is to restore normalcy to the country, and that such a referendum would destabilize this effort and overshadow the benefits of eurozone membership.

In a statement delivered at the party headquarters, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that "the National Assembly should categorically reject – should not even consider – such a proposal, as it is unconstitutional, and there is already a Constitutional Court ruling on the matter". "This issue was settled long ago through an international treaty, in which we agreed to introduce the euro," Borissov added. According to Borissov, "this is where President Radev’s game with the date comes in". "On the one hand, he aims to appear supportive of the Eurozone, but on the other, he wants to play on people’s fears, toy with political parties that have previously proposed similar referendums, and thirdly – to fracture the ruling majority," Borissov said. Borissov underscored that while the opinion of the people is respected, that moment comes "before joining the EU, before signing on to the euro, before requesting a convergence report – not at the end of the process". He called on all parties in the ruling coalition as well as the opposition Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, MRF - New Beginning, and Democracy, Rights and Freedoms groups to stand united and reject the referendum if it gets tabled in Parliament.

At a news conference in Plovdiv, MPs Ivaylo Mirchev and Yordan Ivanov of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) described the President’s proposal as a sabotage of Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone. According to Mirchev, the head of State’s proposal sends an extremely negative signal to the countries of the eurozone that must decide whether Bulgaria should join. He said the country will no longer appear united in its intentions. "This move is entirely dictated by the launch of his [Radev's] political project," Mirchev argued. He pointed out that by signing the EU Accession Treaty, Bulgaria committed to adopting the euro once it meets the necessary criteria. "At this stage, Bulgaria meets those criteria," he added. Mirchev also stressed that "there is only one country that has no interest in Bulgaria joining the eurozone – Russia". Ivanov added: "On Friday evening, it wasn’t the Bulgarian President speaking – it was [Russian Ambassador Eleonora] Mitrofanova speaking, it was Moscow speaking". He stressed that next week, Democratic Bulgaria will initiate a declaration in Parliament to reaffirm Bulgaria’s European orientation.

In a joint statement, CC-DB/Renew Europe MEPs Nikola Minchev and Hristo Petrov called the head of State’s move "a grave provocation and an attempt to divert the country from its European path and to cast doubt on its place at the heart of the European integration process". Minchev and Petrov recalled that a similar referendum proposal was previously tabled to the National Assembly and rightly rejected by a convincing majority in the 49th Parliament. They also pointed out that the Constitutional Court had confirmed that a referendum on the timing of euro adoption is unconstitutional. The MEPs criticized what they called the President’s "lack of consistent statesmanship," noting a stark "evolution" in his position since November 2022, when he clearly said that holding a referendum on issues governed by ratified international treaties was impossible. They voiced concern that Radev is now "standing side by side with the rhetoric of a party whose representatives celebrate May 9 on Red Square". Minchev and Petrov’s statement emphasized the need for a public awareness campaign to explain the implications and benefits of adopting the euro.

Approached for comment, Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF) Floor Leader Dzhevdet Chakarov told journalists that his party's "comment and choice in favour of the euro was made 35 years ago". "Our Euro-Atlantic orientation has always been definitive – both when we have been in government and when we have been in opposition," he noted. "Our goal is clear, and we declared it back when we withdrew from the ruling coalition and the parliamentary majority. However, it is also necessary to examine the motives behind this request [for a referendum]. Let us wait for the convergence report – it is important to see the financial framework from the position of European financial institutions. After that, our party’s collective body will discuss and decide our position, but our orientation is definitively Euro-Atlantic," Chakarov emphasized.

In a position to the media, BSP - United Left said that it will not back the President's proposal. "In connection with the decision of the Constitutional Court of February 8, 2024, a resolution of the National Assembly to hold a referendum on joining the euro area or specific deadlines for this action would be an unconstitutional act, which we cannot support," reads a joint position to the media of the Coalition Council of the BSP - United Left parliamentary group and the Executive Bureau of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). "We do not underestimate the fears and hesitations of the Bulgarian citizens and, therefore, we urge the Government and the National Assembly to strengthen the broad public dialogue. BSP - United Left will continue to hold in the coming months a series of talks and meetings with Bulgarian citizens on the issues of Bulgaria's accession to the euro area."

In a position received by BTA, the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum said it supports the efforts of Bulgarian society and the Government  to make Bulgaria a full member of the euro area as part of the country's commitments as an EU Member State. The adoption of the euro as a means of payment will improve the international image of the country, the investment environment and the quality of life of all Bulgarians, the position reads. "The proposed referendum [by the President] on the adoption of the euro is legally inadmissible and creates unnecessary discussions and concerns in the citizens, international institutions, and partners. Let us all make efforts to ensure that our accession to the euro area takes place immediately," the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum said. 

Elaborating on his own proposal, President Rumen Radev explained to journalists why his stance seems to differ from his earlier view on the need for such a referendum: “The Bulgarian governments have been bound by a treaty signed with the European Union, but we should remember that their overriding commitment is to the Bulgarian citizens. When you ask for an ad hoc convergence report in connection with [a planned] euro [changeover] while at the same time the measures to protect the purchasing power of the Bulgarian citizens and the competitiveness of Bulgarian business boil down to little more than declarations, tension inevitably rises among the people and public confidence in the incumbents declines. At such a moment, it is best for the incumbents, who claim that with the adoption of the euro they will protect the interests of the Bulgarian citizens, to seek the support of these very citizens.”