Bulgaria joins eurozone as its 21st member

DID Press: Bulgaria officially joined the eurozone on January 1, becoming the 21st European Union country to adopt the common currency — a move that Brussels and Sofia describe as an important step toward economic strengthening and deeper integration.

On the first day of the new year, Bulgaria replaced its national currency with the euro, marking the culmination of years of economic alignment with the EU. The country now stands among the euro area members after a long convergence process.

European officials and the Bulgarian government hope that euro adoption will bring greater financial stability, attract more foreign investment, reduce transaction costs, and reinforce Bulgaria’s position within the EU’s economic architecture.

Joining the euro is also viewed as a symbolic milestone in Bulgaria’s path toward deeper institutional integration with Europe — a path the country has pursued steadily since becoming an EU member in 2007.