Bulgaria Nears Completion of Leva Withdrawal as 81% Taken Out of Circulation
As of February 6, 2026, Bulgaria continues to make steady progress in withdrawing the national currency, the leva, from circulation.
President Rumen Radev has officially endorsed the recommendation for the 49th National Assembly to elect GERB's candidate as Prime Minister. However, the proposed cabinet put forward by Prime Minister-designate Mariya Gabriel has stirred significant discord within the political landscape.
"We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) convened to deliberate on Gabriel's cabinet proposal, expressing surprise and disapproval. Atanas Atanasov of WCC-DB asserted, "There is no agreement on what Gabriel is doing." Outgoing Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov echoed this sentiment, highlighting that the cabinet proposal did not have the backing of WCC-DB partners. Denkov emphasized that it resembled a GERB-centric cabinet, lacking coordination with WCC-DB, and lacked alignment with their established government agreement.
Kiril Petkov suggested that Gabriel succumbed to pressure from Borissov and Peevski, characterizing the situation as one of the biggest falsifications in modern Bulgarian history. Asen Vassilev, the resigned Minister of Finance and co-chairman of "We Continue the Change," condemned the lack of consent in appointing ministers to the cabinet, labeling it as an act of impudence and indecency unfit for a potential prime minister.
The anticipated response from GERB regarding the agreement and the nominated ministers of the "Gabriel" cabinet is expected imminently.
Despite these developments, the National Assembly's weekly agenda does not include the proposal for the presidential decree to be discussed in today's meeting.
During consultations with President Iliana Yotova, "Greatness" party leader Ivelin Mihaylov emphasized the urgent challenge facing the caretaker government: halting ongoing harmful processes and initiating a positive recovery.
At a meeting held at GERB’s headquarters, party leader Boyko Borissov met with British Ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, to discuss issues of regional security, the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, and the import
Outgoing Bulgarian Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov confirmed that the Bulgarian Army is in the process of transitioning to NATO-standard weapons, a step aimed at modernizing its arsenal.
During consultations at the presidency, President Iliana Yotova welcomed representatives of the "Morality, Unity, Honor" (MECH) party, including party leader Radostin Vassilev, MECH parliamentary group chairman Kiril Veselinski, and MPs Krasimir Manov and
During consultations with President Iliana Yotova on the appointment of a caretaker prime minister, the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) clearly expressed its position that Andrey Gyurov, the agreed deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BN
The civil association BOEC has announced the alleged discovery of a site linked to the Russian private military company Wagner near the Bulgarian village of Kladnitsa in Pernik region.
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