site.btaEU Commissioner Zaharieva: Eurozone Report on Bulgaria Is Objective and Based on Facts

The eurozone report on Bulgaria is objective and not a political gesture, said EU Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva on Bulgarian National Television on Saturday. She stressed that the report is based on evidence and tangible progress made by Bulgarian authorities.

"The report is clear that Bulgaria is ready and has met all the required criteria," Zaharieva stated.

She added that both the European Union and Bulgaria would become stronger once the country adopts the euro. "It is not normal to constantly fuel public fears with speculation or even outright lies," she said, criticizing those who spread misinformation about the euro. "While everyone in a democracy—including politicians—has the right to express their opinion, they must also take responsibility for scaremongering," Zaharieva warned.

Of the country’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, Zaharieva stressed the need to complete ongoing reforms. She recalled that EUR 165 million are allocated for innovation and science, and noted that the Bulgarian government has taken steps to absorb these funds.

Speaking on innovation, she said Europe is a global leader in research but lags in scaling companies into global giants, mainly due to market fragmentation within the EU. Zaharieva also highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare and pointed to EU initiatives to attract top researchers and experts in the field.

The new European Commission is placing strong emphasis on security and competitiveness, Zaharieva concluded.