In January 2026, Bulgarians will be able to pay their bills in both euros and levs in all shops, restaurants and service centers. Restaurateurs' concerns about New Year's Eve are greatly exaggerated, because the law introduces clear rules that must be followed, explained Gabriela Rumenova, founder of the online platform "We, the Consumers", in the program "The Important, Spoken Out" on bTV radio.
The consumer rights expert emphasized that unlike the restriction on merchants not to return "mixed change", consumers can pay their bill mixed – in both levs and euros. A separate question is whether this will not confuse them, so let everyone decide for themselves whether to take this risk, she recommended.
"There should be no problems, since the final texts of the Law on the Introduction of the Euro in Bulgaria with the requirements for traders have been known for five months now," said Gabriela Rumenova. She added that a large-scale information campaign was conducted, which included meetings with local business representatives, as well as with citizens.
A number of documents have been compiled and published by the institutions to help the public, including Guidelines for Dual Indication of Prices of Goods and Services and Dual Circulation by the Ministry of Economy, as well as Instructions from the BNB for the Preparation of ATMs and POS Terminals.
Restaurant owners and representatives of all other industries are required by law to accept payments in both currencies throughout January 2026. This is the period of dual circulation, when both euros and levs will be legal tender in the country.
"Merchants are obliged to accept payments in both euros and levs. And merchants can also return change either entirely in euros or entirely in levs. So, concerns about returning change on New Year's Eve are greatly exaggerated, as some would say," the expert commented.
Returning change in levs is permissible when the merchant does not have sufficient cash in euros at the moment. "Let us be clear again for the peace of mind of business - returning change in levs throughout January 2026 in the absence of cash in euros at the moment is not subject to any sanction by any control body," concluded Gabriela Rumenova.
If consumers have both levs and euros for New Year's Eve payments in restaurants, it is a good idea to specify in advance in which currency they are willing to pay their bill and what the restaurant owner's options are to accept the payment and return the change. This can save unnecessary disputes with merchants who may turn out to be unscrupulous, the expert recommended.
Gabriela Rumenova recalled that from January 1, 2026, when withdrawing cash, ATMs will only dispense euro banknotes, and from vending machines we will only be able to make purchases with euro banknotes and euro cents. Payments in all other places - in shops, restaurants and places of accommodation - will be able to be made in both levs and euros.