site.btaUPDATED Nationalist Party Wants Central Bank Governor Probed for Treason over Euro Changeover Remarks

The nationalist party Vazrazhdane wants the governor of the Central Bank, Dimitar Radev, probed for treason for his remarks relating to reports on Bulgaria's readiness to join the eurozone. 

This country aspires to entry in the eurozone from the beginning of 2026 and reports on its readiness by the European Commission and the European Central Bank are due on June 4, 2025. 

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov announced Wednesday that his party will file a report with the State Agency for National Security (DANS) by the end of the day, requesting an investigation of Dimitar Radev for saying on May 20 that he expects a positive assessment in the eurozone convergence reports. "Bulgaria is familiar with what is being done on the convergence reports, and the assessment is positive," Radev told reporters in the northern city of Pleven.

“When something like this happens to a representative of a state institution, one should ask who told you, when did you find out, what exactly is written in the report,” said Kostadinov, noting that this could also indicate "unwarranted contacts with other state or supranational institutions".

Earlier in the day, Parliament rejected Vazrazhdane's proposal to hear the BNB Governor on this matter.

Article 95 of Bulgaria's Penal Code (Supplemented, SG No. 50/1995, amended, SG No. 153/1998) reads: "A person who, for the purpose of overthrowing, undermining or weakening the state power in the Republic, takes part in the perpetration of an attempt of coup for forceful seizure of power in the centre or locally, or in rebellion or armed uprising, shall be punished by imprisonment from ten to twenty years, by life imprisonment or by life imprisonment without a chance of commuting."