Today, GERB leader Boyko Borissov emphasized the critical need for an effective explanatory campaign as Bulgaria moves closer to joining the eurozone. He warned that there are groups trying to spread fear and confusion about what adopting the euro will mean for people and their finances.

“If all goes well and the convergence report is good, on July 10 the European Council will make a decision, and from January 1 next year, the euro will become a reality,” Borissov said while speaking to supporters in the village of Zvanartsi in Kubrat municipality. “We’ll have six months in which payments can be made in both levs and euros, with prices shown in both currencies,” he noted.

Borissov acknowledged that people have concerns and questions. “When some people hear about it, they start to wonder and worry - what will happen to the lev, what will happen to prices?” he said. According to Borissov, these fears are often fueled by misinformation and exaggeration, with some claiming that if Bulgaria adopts the euro, something bad will happen, as if we’d be worse off like Germany, France, or Belgium. “I don’t understand this,” he added.

The GERB leader made it clear that the explanatory campaign is essential to inform and reassure the public. He said that all mayors, regardless of political affiliation, would be trained to explain to citizens how to switch from levs to euros smoothly. The Commission for the Protection of Competition would also play a crucial role, ready to sanction anyone trying to take advantage of the transition by speculating with prices.

Borissov outlined that citizens would be able to exchange their money at any bank or post office, and there would be security personnel on duty at post offices to ensure the process is orderly and safe. Even after a year of using the euro, people who still have leva would be able to exchange them without any time limit at the Bulgarian National Bank. “Even if you find 2,000–3,000 leva in cash after five years, you just go to the central bank and exchange it,” Borissov said.