The European People's Party (EPP) congratulated Bulgaria on the recommendation received from the European Commission and the European Central Bank on January 1, 2026, to become the 21st member of the eurozone, BTA reports.
"We support Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone and expect our potential new member to contribute to the success of the common European currency," MEPs Eva Meidel and Markus Ferber said in a communiqué.
"I welcome the positive assessment in the convergence reports. This is not a surprising step - it confirms that Bulgaria meets all the legal and technical criteria for joining the single currency. Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone on 1 January 2026 will be a carefully considered step that strengthens economic stability, strengthens confidence in our common currency and secures Bulgaria's place at the heart of the European project", said Maydel, who was the EPP Group's chief negotiator for Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone.
"Bulgaria has come a long way, shown a constant and firm commitment to being part of the eurozone and fulfilled all the necessary technical criteria to join the single currency", confirmed Feber, who is the EPP Group's spokesperson on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.
"Of course, we must be fully aware that the introduction of the euro requires solid political and public support", he stressed. "If you force Bulgaria to join the eurozone against the will of the majority of the population, most people may turn their backs on Europe and turn towards Russia. "That is why it is very important for the government to make efforts to convince Bulgarians of the advantages of joining the euro," added Feber.