More Than 2,200 Post Offices across Bulgaria Will Exchange Leva into Euros Free of Charge in the First Six Months after the Country Joins the Eurozone

More than 2,200 post offices across Bulgaria will exchange leva into euros free of charge during the first six months after the country joins the eurozone. A full list of participating post offices has been published on the official website of "Bulgarian Posts". The focus of this initiative is on small rural areas with elderly populations, many of whom are concerned about how they will exchange their money.

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Once our country joins the euro area, people will be able to exchange levs into euros for free at post offices. In Blagoevgrad region there are almost 100 of them.

Plamen Michev, head of the Blagoevgrad District Post Office: "These are mainly small settlements where there are no branches and offices of credit institutions. We're targeting these areas to make it easier for residents to exchange their money without needing to travel to nearby towns."

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All postal workers involved will undergo training to assist the public with currency exchange procedures.

Plamen Michev:
"Initially, employees at the postal stations who will be directly handling the exchange will be trained. Residents of small villages will receive assistance at the nearest city postal station, and they will definitely be trained."

Individuals will be allowed to exchange up to 1,000 leva per day simply by presenting an ID. For larger sums, a prior request must be submitted, and the transaction will be completed within five working days.

Stefka Ivanova:
"We’re not worried—we’re pensioners, we don’t have such large savings that this would affect us. We know the exchange rate. As long as it remains fixed, anyone can calculate it on their phone."

Anton Krushov:
"I’m not concerned at all. I lived abroad in a Western European country for a long time and I’ve been through this process before."

Despite this, many people in small villages remain anxious, citing a lack of clear information. In the village of Pokrovnik near Blagoevgrad, elderly residents said they would rely on relatives to explain how and where to exchange their money.

"Bulgarian Posts" advises residents of small settlements where there no banks or currency exchange offices to conduct their currency conversions only at official postal stations, in order to prevent potential fraud.