EU Economy Commissioner: The euro will bring Bulgaria new opportunities, investments, jobs and growth

The euro will bring Bulgaria new opportunities, investment, jobs and growth, European Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told a news conference on July 8 after EU finance and economy ministers gave final and official approval to Bulgaria adopting the euro as its currency as of January 1 2026.

“Joining the euro area is about much more than replacing the lev with the euro,” Dombrovskis said.

“It is about building a brighter and more prosperous future for Bulgaria and its citizens at the heart of Europe,” he said.

The euro will bring new opportunities, investment, jobs and growth, he said: “That has been the experience of people in other euro area member states and it will also be the case for Bulgaria”.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov said in a message on X: “We did it! As of 1.1.2026, Bulgaria will officially adopt the euro.

“We thank all institutions, partners and everyone whose efforts made this landmark moment possible,” Zhelyazkov said.

The government remains committed to a smooth and effective transition to the euro in the interest of all citizens, he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X: “On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria will become our 21st Eurozone country. This means more than just a new currency – it is a real achievement. The euro will strengthen Bulgaria’s economy and bring big benefits for Bulgarian people and businesses.”

The head of the central bank, Bulgarian National Bank governor Dimitar Radev, told news agency BTA in an interview on July 8 that joining the euro zone is a strategic choice that brings stability, trust and access to powerful financial and economic resources.

Joining the euro zone “means fewer barriers to business, lower transaction costs and deeper penetration of the Bulgarian economy into European production and market networks,” Radev said.

Others congratulating Bulgaria included European Central Bank (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde.

In a July 8 media statement, the ECB said that it and Bulgarian National Bank had agreed to monitor developments in the Bulgarian lev against the euro on the foreign exchange market until January 1 2026.

Boiko Borissov, the former prime minister who leads the Bulgarian Parliament’s largest group, GERB-UDF, said on X: “My gratitude to all Bulgarian & European institutions, partners, members of Parliament and everyone whose efforts made this possible!”

We Continue the Change party leader and former finance minister Assen Vassilev said in a video message on Facebook: “Bulgaria is now a full member of the euro zone. With this, we are now a full member of the European Union in all its formats”.

“With the decision of the European Parliament today, the process is completed and the change has happened,” Vassilev said. There is not a single decision that can be made without Bulgarian participation and without the Bulgarian voice being heard, he said.

“From now on, whether we will live by European standards depends only on us,” Vassilev said.