Bulgaria to Pay €600 Million Membership Contribution to European Stability Mechanism

Bulgaria will need to pay €600 million in membership contributions to the European Stability Mechanism over the next five years, while in return it will be able to rely on approximately €8.5 billion in financial assistance in case of need.

For the first time today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Galab Donev participated in the annual meeting of the European Stability Mechanism in Luxembourg, following Bulgaria’s accession to the institution.

According to Galab Donev, the funds for the membership contribution are already included in the state budget, which is expected to be finalised by the end of June and submitted to the National Assembly for approval at the beginning of July.

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is an international financial institution of euro area member states. It was established in 2012 following the eurozone crisis, which severely affected countries such as Greece, Ireland and Spain. Its main objective is to ensure financial stability within the monetary union by providing low-interest loans under favourable conditions, as well as technical assistance and expertise. Countries receiving support are required to implement reforms and pursue sound fiscal policies.

With the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2026, Bulgaria became legally obliged to join the mechanism.