site.btaEurogroup Praises Bulgaria’s Smooth Euro Changeover

Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis congratulated the Bulgarian authorities on a smoothly executed changeover to the euro at a news conference after the bloc’s first meeting of the year on Monday.

“This was a historic occasion for Bulgaria, as from 1 January it is the newest member of the euro area,” Pierrakakis said, adding that Outgoing Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova gave him one of the coin kits made available in Bulgaria to help people get ready for the changeover.

“Accordingly, we started off the discussions today with a debrief from Minister Petkova on her country’s changeover to the euro,” Pierrakakis said. “Bulgarians have been using euro notes and coins since 1 January as legal tender. The Eurogroup congratulates the Bulgarian authorities on a smoothly executed process. The euro is at the heart of our European project as a pillar of economic stability and prosperity, bringing together now a total of 21 countries that use the common currency.”

European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis said: “The year 2026 began on a positive note. Bulgaria adopting the euro on 1 January marked a historic moment for Bulgaria, for the euro area, and for the EU as a whole. It was the end of a long and demanding period of preparation and the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunity.”

“Of course, the changeover to the euro is a complex process,” Dombrovskis added. “Today we heard an update from Minister Petkova on progress so far, and we welcome that the transition from the lev to the euro continues to proceed smoothly. This is thanks to extensive technical preparations and effective communication campaigns undertaken by the Bulgarian authorities.”