PR expert Diana Damyanova believes that the messaging around Bulgaria’s planned euro adoption should be straightforward and reassuring: for consumers, nothing changes. In an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio, she commented on the recent social media campaign and the overall handling of the issue by Bulgarian authorities.

Damyanova argued that the fears surrounding the euro weren’t created by the “Revival” party but stemmed from the inaction of the political establishment. In her view, governments led by the WCC-DB coalition, Boyko Borissov, and President Rumen Radev all failed to communicate clearly and early enough with the public. “People in the provinces needed to be told plainly what they could still buy with 400 leva a month, even after the euro came,” she said.

She recalled following the development of the campaign closely, both as a professional and as a voluntary adviser to former finance minister Asen Vassilev during Kiril Petkov’s cabinet. According to her, although the national euro program had been adopted and substantial funding was available, progress stalled. Damyanova said there was talk about forming a consortium of companies to lead the campaign and ensuring transparency, but ultimately no real momentum was gained. Successive governments, she noted, lacked the time or interest to push the campaign forward or manage tenders where, in her words, “there could be returns.”

Reflecting on the historical context, Damyanova noted that every major currency exchange in Bulgarian history - under the monarchy and the communist regime - was accompanied by public campaigns to explain the change. Only during the democratic period, she said, were Bulgarians left without one.

She emphasized that any campaign for the euro now should be as clear and simple as possible - something even a third grader could understand. “If you give them 3 leva today, tomorrow it’ll be 1.5 euros, so they can calculate,” she explained.

What’s been missing so far, according to her, is the key message: that for consumers, daily life remains unchanged, while at the state level - where pensions, social payments, and investments are concerned - the euro brings significant shifts. She stressed that when Bulgarians spend on large purchases or travel, they should understand the difference it makes to use a stable, internationally recognized currency. Likewise, foreign investors consider the strength of the Bulgarian currency, and euro adoption would boost confidence in the country’s economic environment.

In her view, the failure to launch an effective campaign may simply come down to indifference. “They didn’t do it because it’s too simple. And maybe they just don’t care,” she concluded.

Source: BNR interview