EditBulgarians flooded with euro disinformation ahead of eurozone accession
Social media have been awash with false claims and pro-Russian narratives in the final weeks before the country adopts the euro on 1 January 2026
Bulgarian social media platforms have been overwhelmed by disinformation and fake news in the weeks leading up to the country’s official entry into the eurozone, an EUalive.net fact-check has found.
Over the past year, Bulgaria has emerged as one of the few positive narratives within the European Union, despite prolonged political instability and persistent concerns over the rule of law. The country secured full membership of the Schengen area and is set to adopt the euro on 1 January 2026.
At the same time, Bulgarian social media has become saturated with eurosceptic and openly pro-Russian propaganda opposing the euro’s introduction. These narratives have been amplified by influential pro-Russian political parties, most notably the radical nationalist party Revival (Vazrazhdane).
Revival, led by Kostadin Kostadinov, who is subject to a 10-year travel ban to Ukraine, has been running a long campaign against Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone. During this period, the party has circulated numerous false claims related to the common currency.
One of the most influential disinformation campaigns was led by MEP Rada Laikova, who alarmed hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians with the false claim that the European Commission intended to introduce an “expiry date” on bank deposits after Bulgaria joins the eurozone, potentially causing citizens to lose their savings.
Networks linked to the party actively spread another false claim on social media, alleging that euro coins and banknotes minted in Bulgaria and bearing inscriptions in Cyrillic would not be accepted outside the country.
In mid-December, Revival leader Kostadin Kostadinov personally escalated the rhetoric, claiming that “one of the requirements imposed by the European Commission on Bulgaria is to dispose of its money-printing machines”.
Kostadinov provided no evidence to support the claim, nor did he explain the source of this information.
He is among the politicians most frequently associated with spreading disinformation on Bulgaria’s eurozone membership, and this claim was no exception. It forms part of a broader narrative suggesting that Bulgaria will lose control over its monetary policy along with the lev.
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has publicly rejected these assertions, explaining that the country’s banknote-printing machines are universal and not designed for a specific currency. Producing a particular denomination or currency requires only technical adjustments.
It made it clear that Bulgaria is under no obligation to destroy its lev-printing machinery in order to join the eurozone, as the same equipment will continue to be used for printing other banknotes.
Numerous Bulgarian media outlets, politicians and economic experts have criticised the government for its weak communication campaign ahead of the euro’s introduction. Indeed, the Bulgarian authorities once again lost the battle against fake news on social media.
On 29 December, caretaker Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced that the government would establish a coordination centre for the euro’s introduction. The centre will be headed by Vladimir Ivanov, the current chair of the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets.
The coordination centre will be tasked with aligning the work of institutions at central, regional and municipal level on all issues related to the euro. “The introduction of the euro will have a long-term positive effect on the Bulgarian economy and on the environment in which the country develops,” Zhelyazkov said.
From 1 January 2026, Ivanov will be the main public spokesperson on euro-related matters, communicating with the media and, through them, with the public.
“The causes of inflation have nothing to do with the euro,” Zhelyazkov added. Inflation remains one of the main public concerns surrounding Bulgaria’s adoption of the common currency.
Tax authorities are planning a sharp increase in inspections, carried out jointly with the Consumer Protection Commission, to prevent unjustified price hikes. Around 400 checks per day are planned, according to National Revenue Agency director Hristo Markov.
For a first violation involving unjustified price increases, fines will range from €2,500 to €50,000, rising to up to €100,000 in cases of repeated offences.
Caption: A protest against the euro in Sofia. The banner reads “Freedom for the lev, death to the euro” [Dnevnik, Georgi Kozhuharov]
Updated: December 31, 2025 - 13:08
