EditGreece identified as the EU member state blocking Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Alphabet” €2 coin
This development replaces earlier speculation that had pointed primarily to Slovakia
Several reliable sources have confirmed to EUalive that Greece is the unnamed eurozone member state that formally objected to Bulgaria’s proposed 2-euro commemorative coin honouring the “Bulgarian alphabet,” effectively halting its issuance.
The objection, submitted through the EU Council, targeted the use of the term “Bulgarian alphabet” on the coin, which was intended to celebrate Bulgaria’s historical role in the development of the Cyrillic script.
EUalive’s partner in Greece, the Independent Balkan News Agency (IBNA), sought official comments from the Greek Finance Ministry and relevant authorities but received no response. This development comes just months after Bulgaria joined the eurozone on 1 January 2026 and replaces earlier speculation that had pointed primarily to Slovakia. The coin’s cancellation highlights ongoing cultural and historical sensitivities in the Balkans surrounding the shared heritage of the Cyrillic alphabet.
According to EUalive sources, the institution ultimately responsible for this regrettable incident is the Bulgarian National Bank, which appears to have drawn inspiration from a controversial 2020 move by the nationalist VMRO party of Krassimir Karakachanov to introduce the term “Bulgarian alphabet” instead of “Cyrillic alphabet” in official documents. VMRO was then a junior coalition partner of Boyko Borissov’s GERB party. Today GERB is in opposition, VMRO’s electoral support has collapsed, and the party is no longer represented in parliament. It remains difficult to explain, however, how this nationalist push has made its way and even advanced in the form of a proposed euro commemorative coin.
Caption: The inscription on the proposed 2-euro coin reads “The Bulgarian ALPHABET, Bulgaria, 2026”. [Bulgarian National Bank]
Updated: June 12, 2026 - 12:21
