PM Rosen Zhelyazkov: Our Task is to Ensure that the Process of Introducing the Euro is Smooth

At a press briefing at the Council of Ministers on June 4, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov addressed the forthcoming convergence report from the European Commission and the European Central Bank, which is expected to be released to day and assess Bulgaria’s readiness to adopt the euro.

“This assessment is of exceptional importance to Bulgarian society, as it is the result of decades of effort to achieve a high level of financial and economic convergence with the developed European countries,” said Zhelyazkov. “It is an evaluation of the stability of Bulgaria’s public finances, the resilience of our economy, and its operational capacity. It is a recognition of the efforts of the Bulgarian people, who as early as the 1990s declared their unwavering path toward becoming a worthy member of the European Union and an integral part of Europe.”

The Prime Minister also commented on the tasks ahead for the government regarding the euro adoption process:

“Our task is to ensure that the introduction of the euro is smooth and well-managed, to dispel the fears that have been instilled in people and exploited for political manipulation, and to guarantee that unfair commercial practices will be countered. To that end, today we will take two decisions, one of which is to establish a government-level mechanism to address all issues related to interactions with industry associations, employers’ organizations, trade unions, and all those who produce goods and services—so that there are no concerns about unjustified price increases.

In the coming weeks, there will be many public discussions. We are prepared with our public information campaign, which, as you know, starts six months before the effective introduction. That campaign is only just beginning and will gain momentum, so that all citizens—especially vulnerable groups—are well informed, and so that their fears are not exploited or manipulated,” said Zhelyazkov.