SOFIA, Bulgaria—On Sunday, June 8, 2025, protesters gathered in front of the country’s National Bank, amid a heavy police presence, to protest the planned introduction of the euro on January 1, 2026.
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The demonstration, which was once again organized by the opposition political party “Vazrazdane”, was also held in other cities in Bulgaria. Vazrazdane’s President Konstantin Kostadinov sent a letter to all European Union prime ministers calling for Bulgaria to be excluded from the eurozone.
Konstantin Kostadinov stressed in his statement that “Our struggle is in the name of democracy, our rights and our most important right, the right to vote.”
Kostadinov also recalled that in Italy, there were not one, but five referendums on the euro with a request signed by less than 1% of citizens, while in Bulgaria, with 10% of those willing, a referendum is not allowed.
The participants in the demonstration categorically stated that they want to keep the Bulgarian lev as the national currency and shouted their demand for a referendum on this crucial issue of long-term importance for the country.
“We want to keep the Bulgarian lev because it is our national currency. If there is no lev, there will be no Bulgaria,” the protesters commented emphatically.
The thousands of protesters expressed particularly their concern that the transition to the euro would lead to higher prices, a deterioration in living standards, a loss of the country’s economic and financial sovereignty, and dependence on external powers.
By: Isidoros Karderinis is a journalist, foreign press correspondent, and writer. Facebook: Karderinis Isidoros
