Bulgaria is preparing for the possibility of joining the eurozone by adopting the euro on January 1, 2026, should it meet all of the required criteria, including price stability. According to sources in Brussels, the EU Council is expected to make the final decision this summer, marking a significant milestone in Bulgaria’s integration process with the euro area.
In further steps toward euro adoption, Bulgaria has announced plans to request an extraordinary convergence report that will evaluate its adherence to the euro area standards. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov indicated that this request would follow the Eurogroup meeting scheduled for February 17, where the new government and Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova intend to outline Bulgaria's progress in meeting the criteria, although no binding decision will be made during that session.
Moreover, the country anticipates that Eurostat will publish its assessment regarding Bulgaria's readiness in the spring, adding another layer of scrutiny to the process. While Bulgaria currently satisfies the price stability requirement, the forthcoming evaluations and discussions among euro area counterparts will be decisive in determining its future within the currency union.