site.btaEurozone to Bring Stability, Higher Incomes for Bulgaria, Says FM Petkova

In an interview with bTV on Sunday, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova delivered an optimistic forecast for Bulgaria’s future. “Bright days are ahead for Bulgaria,” said Petkova. According to her, eurozone membership will bring economic and financial stability, more investments, economic growth, and rising incomes.

Petkova added that upon joining the eurozone, Bulgaria could improve its credit rating by two notches, allowing access to significantly better financing terms.

Eurozone membership would also mean easier access to international markets, and businesses would be relieved of the costs associated with currency conversion between the lev and the euro, the Finance Minister noted.

“People should feel reassured. There is no country that has joined the eurozone and seen a decline in living standards,” Petkova emphasized. She assured that speculative price hikes will not be allowed. “Inspections are already underway in 30 Bulgarian cities across more than 130 retail outlets. The goal is to capture a snapshot of current price levels, and the same outlets will be re-inspected to track any unjustified increases,” she said.

The Finance Minister pointed out that after the euro is introduced, salaries and pensions will be rounded in favour of the citizens.

Petkova also explained that the Bulgarian National Bank will exchange levs for euros with no limits on time or amount. “Not a single lev held by Bulgarian citizens will be lost,” she stressed. If funds are deposited in banks before January 1, 2026, the exchange will happen automatically and free of charge at the fixed rate, she underscored.