Martin Dimitrov, MP from “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) appeared on Nova TV to discuss the country’s preparedness for the euro, economic risks, budgetary issues, and the relationship between the state and business, as well as Bulgaria’s international obligations.

Dimitrov acknowledged that technical difficulties might arise in the initial months after the euro is introduced, but he stressed that these issues would stem from the outgoing government’s inadequate information campaign rather than the euro itself. “Instead of addressing the serious questions and concerns of citizens, the authorities simply announced that Bulgaria will join the eurozone. Everyone already knows that,” he noted. Looking further ahead, Dimitrov believes that adopting the euro will have positive effects for the country.

Regarding prices, inflation, and business pressures, Dimitrov criticized the current government’s handling of the transition. He argued that the Euro Law created artificial incentives for price increases even before the euro’s introduction. He also said that the Consumer Protection Commission and the Competition Protection Commission, by imposing heavy fines and expanded powers, inadvertently push prices higher. “Harassment of business raises costs, while stable competition keeps prices down. It has always been like this,” he explained. Dimitrov cited Eurostat data, highlighting that the euro’s adoption is expected to contribute less than 1% to inflation.

On the budget and the recently approved extension law, Dimitrov described the decision to index salaries by roughly 5% as a compromise intended to ease social tensions. “It costs between BGN 500 million (€255 million) and 1 billion (€510 million), but it is structured so it won’t create problems,” he said. He added that the required funds can be covered by nominal economic growth, which he projects at 6.3% in 2025 and around 7% in 2026, sufficient to meet rising expenses.

Dimitrov defended the government’s choice not to adopt the previously proposed budgets, arguing it prevented a scenario of excessive deficits and debt, which could have reached BGN 20 billion (€10.2 billion), potentially replicating situations seen in Romania and Greece. He emphasized the need for accountability in public spending.

Turning to politics, Dimitrov ruled out a coalition between PP-DB, GERB, and DPS, describing the latter two as responsible for the current government’s failures. “Borissov and Peevski created this government, which is a complete failure. We cannot govern with them,” he said. He stressed that the future will largely depend on voter turnout: “The most important thing is for people to vote, for there to be a high turnout. Only then can we prevent the reproduction of the same model,” he concluded.