site.btaParliament Chair Kiselova Confers with EU Commissioners Dombrovskis and Zaharieva

The positive convergence reports on Bulgaria's euro area readiness published by the European Commission and the European Central Bank on Wednesday open new economic prospects for this country, Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova said here on Thursday. She spoke during a meeting with EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and for Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis and EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, the Parliament’s press office reported.

“Bulgaria has put in significant efforts in meeting the requirements for joining the euro area on January 1, 2026, and has managed to meet all the euro adoption criteria,” Kiselova said. “This is a historic step for Bulgaria. We expect our economy to strengthen, trade with euro area countries to grow, and direct investment to increase,” she added.

She confirmed Bulgaria’s readiness to participate in the remaining coordination processes at the EU level necessary for completing the transition to the euro. Kiselova expressed gratitude to the European Commission for its ongoing support and assistance throughout Bulgaria’s preparation for euro adoption. She also thanked the Commission for its positive assessment of the country’s readiness, as outlined in its convergence report. A forthcoming Council of the European Union decision on Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro is expected to trigger some of the national-level activities for the euro changeover, the Parliament Chair said.

“It is important for Bulgaria to ensure predictability and stability in Cohesion Policy funding both under the current and the future Multiannual Financial Framework,” she said.

Commissioner Dombrovskis praised Bulgaria’s achievements and said the country deserves the assessment of its euro area readiness. He said that the efforts made by Bulgaria should be supported by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament and reaffirmed the European Commission's continued commitment to supporting this country’s full integration into the euro area.

Commissioner Zaharieva thanked the National Assembly, MPs from the ruling majority, and National Assembly Chair Kiselova for Parliament’s role in passing legislation needed to meet the criteria for euro area membership. She noted that 171 MPs had declared their support for Bulgaria’s euro area accession, which she said sends a strong signal of trust.

Deputy Parliament Chair Dragomir Stoynev said that Bulgaria had lost valuable time for a public awareness campaign due to recent political instability. However, he stressed that the ruling coalition is now united in its efforts to ensure Bulgaria’s prosperity. “It is up to Parliament and the government to reassure the Bulgarian public,” he said.

Dimitar Gardev, Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds, noted that the committee had ensured all necessary legislative changes for Bulgaria’s euro area accession were adopted on time. He welcomed the European Commission’s support for Bulgaria’s full integration into the common European currency.