From the very beginning, a campaign has been conducted against the president with permitted and unauthorized means because of his proposal for a referendum on the euro, and this does not do honor to the initiators. This was stated to journalists by Vice President Iliana Yotova, quoted by Nova TV.
According to her, after the presidential proposal, the Ministry of Finance should have held a conversation with the society on the topic of the eurozone.
"I do not believe that people are divided. In the 21st century, we have one task - to respect human rights against the backdrop of all conflicts. One of the most essential rights is that of choice - and the one who takes it away cannot talk about democratic governance. The campaign that developed against President Radev and his proposal for a referendum on the euro does not do honor. The big conversation about what awaits us as a society with the adoption of the euro did not take place. It is as if the political parties and the responsible institutions in the process are afraid to take public positions", commented the Vice President.
The law on the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria was adopted by the National Assembly on August 7, 2024. Its goal is to supplement and facilitate the process of adopting the euro in the country and to increase public awareness, in accordance with European law.
According to her, entering the euro area is an entirely political decision, but formally the Maastricht criteria are used.
"The President signed the law in order to have more awareness, he translates the European legislation on the adoption of the euro into Bulgarian. 9 months later, the executive branch and the institutions involved are violating the law. It says that they must inform citizens in a timely manner and conduct a campaign in understandable language about the risks and opportunities that the euro currency provides. Why is this not being done and who is afraid to answer people's questions?", asked Yotova.
President Rumen Radev proposed holding a national referendum on the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria from January 1, 2026. He argued his initiative with the need for public consensus on a strategic decision, which, in his opinion, should not be made behind the scenes by institutions with low public trust.