site.bta"Bulgaria Will Benefit a Lot from Eurozone Entry," Says ING Bank Country Manager

"Bulgaria will benefit a lot from joining the eurozone as from January 1, 2026," ING Bank N.V. Bulgaria Country Manager Marina Kobakova said here on Friday.

She recalled that very little was left for Bulgaria to join the currency union at the beginning of 2026 "but to date we already meet all the necessary requirements". "Yesterday the Finance Ministry pointed out that we have met the fourth criterion, too - the inflation rate, which was a hurdle. In purely technical terms, Bulgaria has been ready for accession back since last year," the banker said. 

In her words, the public is yet divided over the pros and cons of eurozone entry, but the principal benefits for the country include lower transaction fees and a credit rating upgrade. Kobakova expects this to attract many more foreign investors to Bulgaria, resulting in the creation of many new jobs in future.

"Now that we have fulfilled the requirements, the next step is for Bulgaria to request a convergence report. An approval for joining as from January 1, 2026 can thus be expected by May or June," the Country Manager ING Bank N.V. Bulgaria added.

She spoke at a business event on "Responsible Banking: 30 Years of History, Future Prospects," organized with free admission by the German-Bulgarian Meetings Venue in Plovdiv.