Exactly six days until Bulgaria's official entry into the eurozone. Mass exchange of levs into euros and depositing banknotes through deposit ATMs and in banks is underway, bTV reports.
At the same time, interruptions in payments at POS terminals are expected in the first hours after the adoption of the common currency due to the reconfiguration of the systems. That is why banks recommend having cash.
Throughout January, we can use both currencies, so there is no need to urgently exchange levs into euros.
Commercial banks will exchange currency free of charge until June 30. The same deadline applies to “Bulgarian Posts“, but the service will be provided only in settlements where there are no bank offices.
The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange levs for euros indefinitely and free of charge.
In some places, deposit ATMs have been blocked, after many people deposit their savings in levs in this way, such as in the Veliko Tarnovo region, for example.
Banks are also reporting an increase in the number of cash deposits in cash offices. Money in accounts will be automatically converted on January 1.
Due to the system reset in the hours around and after midnight on New Year's Eve, there will also be an interruption in card payments and ATM operations, financial institutions warn.
So, if you plan to pay a bill at a restaurant in the early hours of the new year, it is a good idea to have cash.
Mobile applications will need more time to be reset.
Experts also report that Bulgarians are exchanging their national currency for euros at a slower pace than Croatians, who were the last to adopt the common European currency.