Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov congratulated Bulgaria on the occasion of the country's official admission to the eurozone. According to him, the government is committed to a smooth transition to the single European currency.
"We succeeded! From January 1, 2026, Bulgaria will officially adopt the euro. We thank the institutions, partners and everyone whose efforts made this important moment possible. The government remains committed to a smooth and effective transition to the euro in the interest of all citizens," the Prime Minister wrote on the social network X.
On July 8, Bulgaria opened a new chapter in its modern history by taking the last two steps towards entering the eurozone. Our country has now been finally accepted after the vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council in Brussels.
Our country has received a date for the introduction of the single European currency - January 1, 2026. The prices of goods and services will be mandatory in leva and euros from August until the end of next year.
⇔ Today's historic votes
♦ The vote in Strasbourg
Exactly at 1:32 p.m. Bulgarian time, the European Parliament said “yes” to our accession to the eurozone. The vote was held in Strasbourg. A simple majority of MEPs was required for approval. 531 of them voted in favor, 69 voted against, and 79 abstained.
"Bulgaria is ready, Europe is ready, let's take this step together", urged MEP Eva Maydel in her speech before the one-time, electronic vote in the chamber.
♦ The vote in Brussels
Less than an hour after the vote in Strasbourg, the finance ministers of the 27 EU member states said the historic and now final "yes" in Brussels.