Bulgaria’s Parliament again rejects proposal by minority parties for referendum on the euro

For the third time, Bulgaria’s National Assembly has rejected a proposal by minority party MPs to hold a referendum on retaining the lev as the country’s only official currency until 2043.

The September 3 vote on the proposal, tabled in March by MPs from pro-Russian and populist parties, was 110 against, 65 for, with 28 abstentions.

The vote was held on the day of Parliament’s first sitting after its summer recess, and was a resumption following a debate held several weeks ago.

After the vote, MPs from Kostadin Kostadinov’s minority opposition pro-Russian party Vuzrazhdane walked out of the House.

Parliament voted down a similar proposal in July 2023 and again in September 2024.

President Roumen Radev has campaigned for a referendum on postponing Bulgaria’s euro accession, which is to take place on January 1 2026.

Holding such a referendum would contradict Bulgaria’s constitution, law, and its EU treaty commitments. By Bulgarian law, a referendum cannot be held on an international treaty commitment that already has been ratified.

In May 2025, National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova rejected a bid by Radev to put the referendum proposal to Parliament, on the grounds that to do so would be unconstitutional.

In June 2025, Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court declined to grant Radev’s request to annul Kiselova’s decision.

The European Union’s finance ministers approved on July 8 the final steps that will see Bulgaria use the euro as its currency from January 1 2026.

For reliable official information on Bulgaria’s transition to the euro, the Association of Banks in Bulgaria has a Q and A, in English.

The official evroto.bg website has an English-language version, while the European Commission made available on July 8 a Q and A on Bulgaria’s changeover to the euro.