Overview
- Cash machines dispensed euros on Jan. 1 as the lev remains usable for cash payments through January, with change provided in euros and euro-only cash from Feb. 1.
- Prices must be displayed in both currencies until August 2026, and levs can be exchanged free at banks and post offices until June 30, with the central bank exchanging indefinitely.
- Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev now sits on the ECB Governing Council, welcomed by ECB President Christine Lagarde as Bulgaria becomes the 21st member.
- Surveys show a divided public, with roughly half opposed to the switch and persistent fears of price rounding as official data show food costs up about 5% year over year in November.
- The rollout follows the conservative-led government’s resignation after anti-corruption protests, with reports of queues for euros, payment warnings, and some retailers lacking starter kits.