In Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, and several other major cities, thousands of Bulgarians gathered on Saturday, brandishing flags and voicing their opposition to government plans for adopting the euro. The protesters, who were urged on by civic organizations and nationalist parties, sang patriotic songs while chanting phrases such as “Freedom for the Bulgarian lev” and “The future belongs to sovereign states.” This demonstration against the euro took place only days before the Balkan country is anticipated to receive a green light from Brussels regarding its entry into the eurozone.
Within Sofia, demonstrators were seen carrying flags from the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and displaying a massive banner that declared, “The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria.” The event remained peaceful thanks to the presence of increased police forces.
Bulgaria, which became a member of the European Union in 2007, remains one of the EU’s less affluent countries and has been marred by ongoing political instability. This instability has contributed to the euroscepticism that is prevalent among its 6.4 million citizens. Moreover, disinformation campaigns from both domestic and foreign origins have intensified fears about economic changes, especially those that might exacerbate poverty.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has backed those opposing the euro by proposing a referendum on the matter earlier this month. He attributed this move to public worries about inflation and the impact on purchasing power. However, his proposal was rejected by a parliamentary pro-European majority. This group accused Radev of attempting to disrupt Bulgaria’s euro adoption in favor of Moscow’s interests, asserting that his proposal undermined efforts to further European integration amid rising geopolitical tensions.