Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the far-right pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party, said on May 21 he will file a formal complaint with Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (DANS) against central bank governor Dimitar Radev, accusing him of treason over remarks supporting Bulgaria’s euro adoption.

Kostadinov, whose party is a fierce opponent of the country’s entry into the eurozone in 2026, claims Radev has engaged in “state betrayal” following his statement that the upcoming convergence reports from the European Commission and the European Central Bank would be positive for Bulgaria’s accession.

On May 20, Radev said in an interview with bTV that the central bank has seen the preliminary versions of the reports and that they were positive, which would allow Bulgaria to join the eurozone as of January 1, 2026.

According to Kostadinov, Radev could not have had access to such information without “unauthorised contacts with other state or supranational institutions”, he said in a speech during parliament’s May 21 plenary session. He added that this alleged breach constitutes grounds for a national security investigation.

Under Bulgaria’s penal code, treason is defined broadly, including attempts to violently seize power or undermine the republic’s institutions.

Vazrazhdane has been actively campaigning against the euro, claiming that its adoption would be a threat to national sovereignty. The party is one of the organisers of a planned nationwide protest on May 31 aimed at blocking the country’s progress toward eurozone membership.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian government continues to advance technical preparations for the currency transition. At its regular session on May 21, the government of Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov approved BGN9.5mn (€4.85mn) in funding for Bulgarian Posts to purchase specialised equipment and install surveillance systems at sites where lev-to-euro exchanges will occur.

Contracts have already been signed for the delivery of counterfeit detection lamps and vacuum machines. Procurement procedures are underway for wireless barcode scanners and ID verification systems.