Overview
- The currency switch takes effect at midnight, adding Bulgaria to the euro area as its 21st member.
- Throughout January, cash payments may be made in lev or euro, with change provided only in euros under dual-circulation rules.
- Economists expect a modest near-term impact because the lev has been pegged to the euro by law since 1999.
- Polling shows roughly half of Bulgarians oppose adopting the single currency as disinformation by nationalist and pro-Russian groups fuels worries about price increases.
- Banks warned of possible card and ATM disruptions on New Year’s Eve, with reported queues and euro cash shortages in Sofia, while the outgoing prime minister argued the move offers long-term economic benefits.