Bulgaria is on fire! Thousands of citizens took to the streets of Sofia and other cities to protest against the introduction of the euro, the new currency set to replace the Bulgarian lev on January 1st. Is this the start of a massive uprising or just another protest? People are loudly shouting “No to the euro!” and “Resign!”, demanding that the fate of the national currency be decided by a referendum, not by Brussels.
On Sofia’s central square, banners screamed: “The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria!” Among the organizers and participants were representatives of the political party Revival, whose leader Kostadin Kostadinov warns that adopting the euro means losing control over the budget, with the European Central Bank deciding how Bulgarians spend their money. He called the protests a “coup” and “betrayal.”
Protesters marched through key points in Sofia, blocked traffic at Eagle’s Bridge, and gathered in front of the European Commission and European Parliament buildings, where gendarmerie formed a cordon. Protests also took place in other parts of the country, with citizens fearing that prices will only rise after the euro’s introduction, and that the state will lose control over its finances.
The European Union approved Bulgaria’s euro adoption starting January 1st, but the people are not happy. Revival submitted a no-confidence motion against the government in parliament, accusing it of failing to implement necessary reforms to stabilize public finances and focusing only on euro adoption. The vote on this motion is expected next week.
This is not just an economic issue but a matter of national identity and sovereignty. Bulgarians wonder: will their country become another puppet in Brussels’ hands? Or will they manage to keep their lev and independence? One thing is clear – the people are furious and won’t stay silent. What do you think about the euro introduction? Salvation or disaster? Drop a comment and let your voice be heard!
