site.btaGERB Leader Urges Continued Efforts to Prove Bulgaria’s Stability after EU Greenlights Euro Adoption

Asked to comment on Wednesday's positive convergence reports on Bulgaria's eurozone readiness, GERB leader Boyko Borissov told journalists on Thursday: "We must continue to convince our partners in Europe that we are a disciplined, stable, and organised country. Let us build on this so that all the benefits of the euro area can be reaped from next year."

Bulgaria is expected to join the eurozone on January 1, 2026.

Asked how he would comment on the statement by Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, who said that "we will blow up the eurozone from the inside", Borissov said: "A lot of speeches happened. Some in the [plenary] hall are even vulgar. I do not like that tone. We, as I told you months ago, are moving on the issues and on our direction - our Euro-Atlantic orientation, support for Ukraine, support for the European Commission." 

Borissov commented that all measures should be taken so that people have no fears regarding the euro adoption process.

"We were with the lev when, under [Finance Minister of Continue the Change] Assen Vassilev, fuel prices jumped to BGN 4 on diesel and petrol. Was it the euro's fault then? If we allow a Bulgarian to try to make such a speculation, the State should adequately impose the full severity of the law on them. We were in a speculation. As long as it was Continue the Change, there was speculation," Borissov argued. "Every day we lose BGN 1,050,000 from the [2023 gas supply contract with Turkish company] BOTAS. Isn't this speculation?", Borissov further commented.

Asked why Bulgaria does not try to supply gas, taking advantage of the contract, he stressed: "How many billion cubic metres of gas does Bulgaria spend? Three billion. How much to deliver and where to keep it? This is not a tomato to catch and hold. Now Minister Zhecho Stankov is negotiating a tanker to fill the Chiren with it. But we need a tanker."

Borissov also commented on Parliament rejecting a proposal by MRF - New Beginning to lift the immunity of four MPs of Vazrazhdane, as requested by Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov back in March. The proposal was rejected earlier on Thursday, and GERB-UDF abstained "in order not to vote against", Borissov explained.

The requests to lift the immunity of the four MPs are based on proposals of the Sofia City Prosecution in connection with the escalation of tension during a protest organized by Vazrazhdane on February 22 in the capital.

Borissov commented further that democracy has raised the protest as a form of expression of opinion of groups of people. "Yes, when thresholds are crossed, it is not nice, it is not beautiful. There is also a Penal Code. But now that we have a parliament - the money laundering laws, the grey list laws, the Recovery and Resilience Plan laws, the eurozone to be stable - that should be looked at," the GERB leader said.

"When New Beginning's demand does not coincide with my vision of what should happen in Parliament, we are against it. When I need help for Ukraine and [MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan] Peevski stands next to me with [Continue the Change co-leader] Kiril Petkov - to talk with [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, I say thank you to him", Borissov further said. 

Referring to Continue the Change's intention to table a motion of no confidence in the Government, Borissov said: "To ask for early elections so that this does not happen on January 1. Is that realistic?" "In Europe they see that [Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin] Kostadinov and Petkov, working in an ensemble - one with blocking the streets, the other with demanding a no-confidence vote - are one and the same. This is what they see," Borissov argued.