Campaign to Raise Public Awareness on Counterfeit Euro Banknotes to Be Launched by Year’s End

Tatiana Marinova, BTA correspondent Irina Shopova

E-Government Minister Valentin Mundrov (left) and central bank adviser Marinela Petrova at an information event, part of the National Information Campaign for the Introduction of the Euro in Bulgaria, Plovdiv, September 4, 2025 (BTA Photo/Boyan Botev)

Plovdiv, South Central Bulgaria,

04.09.2025 17:33

(BTA)

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#Bulgaria and the euro

A nationwide campaign to help citizens recognize counterfeit euro banknotes will be conducted by the end of the year, said Marinela Petrova, an adviser at Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), on Wednesday. She was among the speakers at an information event held in Plovdiv as part of the National Information Campaign for the Introduction of the Euro in Bulgaria.

She argued that counterfeiting is one of the key issues, and the BNB is working together with the Interior Ministry to protect citizens from fraud and the circulation of fake banknotes.

Petrova noted that a series of training sessions have already been held with cashiers from organizations with which BNB has signed memoranda. Frontline staff handling cash payments are being trained to recognize the security features built into euro banknotes.

She stressed that there will be no changes to the terms of existing financial contracts with banks. Together with the Consumer Protection Commission, BNB will monitor that interest rates, fees, and other conditions remain unchanged.

Citizens will be able to deposit their leva cash in banks and withdraw the equivalent in euro from January 1, 2026, with payment systems and IT infrastructure ready by then, Petrova said.

BNB’s main obligation is to ensure sufficient quantities of coins and banknotes across the country, including in the most remote areas. The national side of the euro coins will feature the traditional images already present on Bulgarian stotinki coins, she added.

/NZ/