Bulgarians remain sharply divided over adopting the euro, even as support for the single currency reaches record levels across the European Union and Eurozone, a new Eurobarometer survey shows.

Bulgaria has set a target date of January 1, 2026 for euro adoption and is expected to get positive convergence reports from the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) in June.

According to the European Commission’s latest public opinion poll, 43% of Bulgarians support the introduction of the euro, while 50% remain opposed. The findings come just one week before European institutions are expected to release their formal assessment of Bulgaria’s readiness to join the euro area.

They figures reflect a consistent trend of skepticism in recent years, exacerbated by an ongoing anti-euro campaign and a wave of disinformation.

In stark contrast to the mood in Bulgaria, support for the euro across the EU has surged to an all-time high, with nearly three-quarters of citizens in favour of the currency and just 22% opposed. In the 20-member Eurozone, approval reached 83%, compared to only 14% against.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on May 27 that the country’s planned accession to the Eurozone is a matter of national policy, not political debate, and warned that attempts to stir public fear or misinformation would be met with firm resistance.

Zhelyazkov stressed that the introduction of the euro was a strategic move aimed at boosting the competitiveness of Bulgaria's economy. “Provoking a debate about the euro today is manipulation – an attempt to instil and manage fears in people,” he said. “As a government, we do not need this mise-en-scène and this libretto.”

Bulgaria's leading financial associations also backed Eurozone accession, issuing a joint declaration supporting the country’s planned adoption of the euro, which they called a vital step toward economic stability and integration with the European Union.

But despite the Bulgarian government’s stated ambition to join the eurozone, political tensions around the issue persist. 

Earlier this month, President Rumen Radev called for a national referendum on euro adoption, citing the importance of broad public consensus. However, the national assembly rejected the proposal on constitutional grounds.