The days in which the lev is still used as a means of payment are coming to an end. After January 31, cash payments will only be possible in euros, and the lev will be permanently withdrawn from circulation. The transition to the new currency is entering its final stage and is being felt in the everyday lives of people and businesses.
Since the first day of the year, ATMs have only been dispensing euros. Retail outlets are committed to providing euro cash for change and helping customers get used to the new currency, BGNES writes.
Retailers accept payments in levs until the end of this month, but are obliged to return change in euros, unless they temporarily do not have enough cash.
For citizens, this is a convenient time to use the remaining lev banknotes and coins before they cease to be a means of payment in Bulgaria.
In this way, euro coins and euro banknotes gradually settled in people's wallets, became an essential part of daily payments and entered the economic turnover.
It is important to know that after February 1, all banks, as well as post offices in settlements without bank branches, continue to exchange levs for euros at the official rate of 1 euro = 1.95583 leva without a fee until June 30, 2026 year.
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) carries out the exchange indefinitely and completely free of charge.
The euro remains the sole means of payment from February 1, completing the process of introducing the euro after years of preparation.