"At midnight on Wednesday (22:00 GMT), the Balkan country abandoned the lev, its national currency since the late 19th century. list of 3 itemsend of list Images of Bulgarian euro coins lit up the central bank's headquarters in Sofia as crowds gathered in freezing temperatures to mark the new year. I warmly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family, said Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank."
"Successive Bulgarian governments have backed euro adoption, arguing it would strengthen the country's fragile economy, anchor it more firmly within Western institutions and shield it from what officials describe as Russian influence. Bulgaria, with a population of about 6.4 million, remains the poorest member of the EU. Commuters walk past an advertisement promoting Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone in Sofia's subway on December 31, 2025, ahead of the country's adoption of the euro on January 1, 2026 [Nikolay Doychinov/AFP]"
Bulgaria adopted the euro on January 1, 2026, nearly two decades after joining the European Union. The lev was abandoned at midnight (22:00 GMT) and public celebrations took place in Sofia, with images of euro coins projected on the central bank. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde welcomed Bulgaria to the euro family. Successive governments promoted adoption to strengthen a fragile economy, anchor the country within Western institutions and reduce Russian influence. Bulgaria remains the EU's poorest member with about 6.4 million people. Public opinion is divided, with many fearing price increases and stagnant wages, and President Rumen Radev criticised the lack of a referendum.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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