Overview
- Cash payments will use both lev and euro through January with change given only in euros, and euro-only cash transactions begin on February 1.
- Dual price displays have been in place since August and will continue until August 2026 to help deter unjustified markups.
- Banks warned of possible card and ATM glitches on New Year’s Eve as residents queued for euros and some retailers reported missing starter packs.
- Authorities secured EU approval after driving inflation down earlier this year, yet the cabinet resigned following anti-corruption protests and another election is expected in spring.
- Economists note limited macroeconomic impact due to the lev’s euro peg since 1999, while polls show sizable public skepticism over potential price rises and the ECB expects only a slight, temporary uptick.