site.btaEuro Readiness Assessment Reflects Stability of Bulgaria’s Finances, Says PM Zhelyazkov

The Bulgarian Government expects the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) to publish their reports on Wednesday assessing Bulgaria’s readiness to adopt the euro from January 1, 2026, Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov said Wednesday before the start of the regular Cabinet meeting.

He stressed that the evaluation is of high significance to the Bulgarian public, as it reflects decades of national efforts toward achieving a high level of convergence with developed EU economies. The assessment will also serve as an indicator of the stability of Bulgaria’s public finances and of the country’s consistent path toward European integration, he said.

Zhelyazkov emphasized that the Cabinet’s approach to euro adoption is pragmatic, focusing on making the process smooth, predictable, and transparent. The Government also aims to counter disinformation and public concerns regarding the potential effects of the currency switch.

As part of this effort, the Cabinet is expected to adopt the creation of an inter-institutional mechanism to address all matters related to cooperation with industry organizations, employers, and trade unions. The goal is to ensure that the introduction of the euro does not result in unjustified price increases and that effective oversight is exercised well before the changeover. A draft memorandum outlining this cooperation will also be approved, and meetings with stakeholders will begin in the coming days.

Since June 3, the National Revenue Agency, the Commission for Consumer Protection, and the Commission for Protection of Competition have begun preliminary price monitoring on goods and services in the consumer basket. According to the Prime Minister, this monitoring will be ongoing and carried out in partnership with producers, suppliers, and retailers.

Zhelyazkov stressed that Bulgaria’s economy does not justify any unwarranted price hikes and that all forms of speculation, unfair trading practices, cartelization, and abuse of market dominance will be firmly addressed. These issues will be part of the future agreement to be signed with all relevant economic actors.

The Prime Minister also announced that the Government is prepared to launch the public information campaign on the euro, as mandated by the law, which is to begin six months before the official changeover date.