If you are a politician who wants to have a political future, you will follow the majority of Bulgarian voters. Article 1 of the Constitution states that decisions are made by the majority of adult Bulgarians.
This was stated to the Bulgarian National Radio by economist Stoyan Panchev from the Expert Club for Economics and Politics, who commented on the topic of the referendum on the adoption of the euro in 2026, as proposed by President Rumen Radev.
Limiting the consultation to Bulgarians who want to be asked about this issue is a danger to democracy, Panchev believes.
As long as we are in a democratic system, public opinion should be paramount. This applies to all issues related to state governance, he pointed out.
The economist considered the hypothesis that the president's move is happening now because "entering the eurozone is extremely unpopular, if you look at the sociological surveys".
The removal of the currency board and the 140-year-old national currency is the key issue currently facing Bulgaria. Our focus should be on preserving the currency board and preserving the leva, Stoyan Panchev said in the program "Predi visi".
"The gift is to those people who are problematic in terms of the rule of law. They are the ones who will in practice gain access to the ECB's money printing press and this rein, this straitjacket that the currency board provides, will be removed. The argument in terms of the rule of law will be hit if Bulgaria enters the eurozone. The currency board limits the possibilities for budget abuse, while the eurozone stimulates such things."
The established bandit wants to enter the eurozone, but not be financially restricted, Panchev summarized.