In a letter to Bulgarian state leaders, made public on Tuesday, the Association of Bulgarian Employers' Organizations (ABEO) firmly expressed its support for Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone on January 1, 2026. The letter is addressed to President Rumen Radev, Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova, and Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. It states:
“We, the nationally representative employer organizations, operating across the full spectrum of the country’s economy, generating over 86% of the gross value added and employing 82% of all workers, are concerned by announcements about a potential referendum and declare our unequivocal support for the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the eurozone as of January 1, 2026.
As President Rumen Radev submitted officially a proposal for a national referendum on the adoption of the euro by Bulgaria in 2026, the issue remained very much in the focus of attention and comments continued. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov urged the legislature not to consider the proposal which he called “anti-constitutional”, and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov is even positive that there will be no referendum. GERB-UDF called on the parliament leader, Nataliya Kiselova, to declare the proposal inadmissible and "send it back to its author". Interior Minister Daniel Mitov called the proposal “a clear act of sabotage against the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria”.
Bulgaria is hoping for accession to the eurozone in 2026. Ad-hoc reports on its readiness for that - one by the European Central Bank and one by the European Commission, are due in June 2025.
President Radev’s proposal for the referendum question is "Do you agree to have Bulgaria adopt the single European currency euro in 2026?".
ABEO recalls that Bulgaria has consistently and unreservedly strived for full EU membership and has reaffirmed its commitment to adopt the single European currency through the Accession Treaty, in force since January 1, 2007. Completing the process of European integration through our full membership in the Economic and Monetary Union will ensure accelerated income growth and faster real convergence in purchasing power with average European levels, the employers’ organization argues.
“Throughout this period, all of you, as institutions responsible for the governance and prosperity of our state, have repeatedly expressed your firm support for the European perspective of our country, including the introduction of the euro in the Republic of Bulgaria and the related legislation on the euro’s introduction, adopted by the 50th National Assembly on August 7, 2024, and promulgated in the State Gazette by Presidential Decree No. 200.
We are confident that, continuing the consistent and united efforts of past governments, Bulgarian institutions, social partners, and the non-governmental sector, and while awaiting the convergence reports from the European Central Bank and the European Commission for our admission to the eurozone, you will continue to meet the high national expectations. We trust you will act in full awareness of national priorities and will work together with commitment toward the prosperity of our society, avoiding actions that dissipate public energy or create grounds for conflict, division, tension, and distrust among the Bulgarian people,” the organization says.
The letter is signed by Rumen Radev, Chairman of the Management Board of the Industrial Capital Association (BICA), on behalf of BICA, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), and the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB).
