Bulgaria has fulfilled the final requirement for joining the eurozone by meeting the budget deficit criterion. Following the earlier achievement of the inflation target, the last step was to confirm compliance with the EU methodology regarding public finances for 2024.

According to preliminary data from Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute and Eurostat, the country's general government sector registered a budget deficit of 3 billion euros last year. This figure corresponds to exactly 3% of the national GDP, aligning with the EU's threshold and satisfying the deficit condition for eurozone accession.

For comparison, Eurostat reported that the average budget deficit across the European Union in 2024 stood at 3.2% of GDP. Among the member states, Romania recorded the highest deficit at 9.3%, followed by Poland with 6.6%, and France at 5.8%.

In contrast, several countries achieved budget surpluses. Denmark posted the highest surplus at 4.5% of GDP, while Ireland and Cyprus followed closely with surpluses of 4.3% each. Greece also reported a positive fiscal balance, with a surplus of 1.3%.