Bulgaria’s Euro adoption is progressing smoothly, contrasting with Romania’s economic struggles and integration challenges.
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A Romanian MEP congratulated Bulgaria on joining the Eurozone, with similar sentiments expressed by other Romanian opinion leaders despite the topic not being a major political issue. Both countries entered the EU in 2007, but Bulgaria preceded Romania into the Eurozone. While Romania has made visible progress against state capture, Bulgaria is lagging. Economically, Romania experienced a strong but unhealthy boom leading to high deficits and debt, prompting warnings about a “Romanian scenario” in Bulgaria. Although Bulgaria’s projected deficit for 2025 is around 3.2% of GDP, it lacks a budget for 2026 and clear plans for fiscal discipline, while Romania faces an estimated 8.4% deficit and has become a major issuer of external debt. Unlike Bulgaria, Romania possesses independent monetary policy, making the potential adoption of the Euro require serious discipline if it enters the ERMII mechanism. Despite fiscal issues, Romania is currently the only non-Euro group EU country theoretically aiming for the common currency, with higher public support for the Euro than in Bulgaria. Former Romanian negotiator Vasile Pushkash suggested that joining the Eurozone should be Romania’s next national project to achieve stability and disciplined economic development. Economist Cristian Păun criticized Romanian politicians for their failure compared to Bulgaria, warning that without change, Romania risks abandoning the European project as public debt exceeds Maastricht thresholds in 2026. Adrian Negrescu stated that while price increases are a temporary phase during the Euro transition, the long-term benefits include cheaper credit and economic stability for Bulgaria. He noted that Bulgarian businesses must adjust prices due to low consumer purchasing power. Vladimir Ivanov of the Euro Coordination Center affirmed the smooth process of adopting the Euro in Bulgaria, dismissing fears as minor misunderstandings. The National Bank of Bulgaria confirmed the exchange process is proceeding according to plans, noting that while some issues like insufficient cash at retailers and isolated bank fee irregularities exist, they are being addressed, and there is no legal basis for conversion fees until June 2026. Banks are obligated to perform free exchanges without restrictions on amount or type of currency, though large coin exchanges require specialized equipment. The Ministry of Finance confirmed the parallel circulation period between the Lev and Euro ends on January 31, 2026.
