Bulgaria: Nearly Half of Lev Currency Already Withdrawn as Euro Transition Progresses
The process of converting Bulgarian levs to euros continues smoothly, with 48.3% of the national currency already withdrawn from circulation
National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova
National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova commented on the proposed referendum on adopting the euro, emphasizing the need to review the reasons behind the initiative once it is formally submitted. Speaking in Nikolaevo, she noted that the proposal has not yet been received by the National Assembly, meaning the current discussion is based solely on the president's stated intention. According to Kiselova, once the proposal is officially submitted, it will be up to the parliamentary committees on budgets, finance, and legal affairs to thoroughly examine the rationale behind it. "I hope the proposal is well-motivated so that the arguments can be clearly substantiated," she said, as quoted by BTA.
Kiselova also reminded that there are two previous Constitutional Court rulings concerning the authority of the National Assembly to initiate national referendums on specific issues, including one decision from last year that specifically addressed a question related to the euro. She pointed out that the question, as it currently stands, is controversial due to the lack of a detailed explanation from the president.
President Rumen Radev announced on Thursday that he intends to propose a national referendum asking Bulgarians whether they support adopting the euro in 2026. The proposed question reads: "Do you agree that Bulgaria should adopt the single European currency, the euro, in 2026?" Radev described the referendum as a democratic test for the National Assembly, asserting that it would reveal which political forces support the people's right to decide their future and which do not.
Krum Zarkov, Radev’s legal advisor, announced his resignation shortly after the president’s statement, citing disagreement over the proposal. According to him, the referendum addresses a constitutionally inadmissible issue. Meanwhile, the only political groups expressing support for the initiative so far are Revival, Greatness, and MECH.
Kiselova reiterated her position that the proposed referendum raises complex constitutional questions and that the committees will need time to examine the justifications thoroughly once they are submitted. She stressed the importance of clarity in the arguments to avoid further controversy.
The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) voted 12 to 2 against a proposal from MPs Ivaylo Mirchev and Bozhidar Bojanov (WCC-DB) to organize a public inspection of voting machines. The request aimed to address concerns raised by political parties and civil o
Political tensions escalated over the ongoing garbage crisis in Sofia, with senior figures from GERB, DPS-New Beginning, and TISP sharply criticizing Mayor Vasil Terziev, while the Metropolitan Municipality announced new measures aimed at transparency and
The initial batch of Stryker armored vehicles is scheduled to be shipped from the United States to Bulgaria in February, with delivery directed to the Terem-Ivaylo military plant in Veliko Tarnovo
Slavi Trifonov, leader of the political party There Is Such a People (TISP), has reacted sharply to the vandalism against the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje, saying the incident reflects a long-standing hostile attitude toward Bulgaria in North Macedonia, wh
GERB leaderBoyko Borissov stated on Monday in a live Facebook broadcast that his parliamentary group “has absolute grounds to declare that it wants to continue governing.” He emphasized that, despite the challenges faced during their tenure, GERB remains
If a parliamentary vote were held at this moment, GERB would again emerge as the leading political force in Bulgaria with 18.1 percent support. These are the findings of a nationally representative survey conducted by Market Links.
Bulgaria's Strategic Role in the EU's Drone Wall Defense Initiative
When Politics Means Violence