🇧🇬🇪🇺 Proudly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family! Our sincere thanks to Bulgaria !

🇧🇬🇪🇺 On January 1, 2026, Bulgaria becomes the 21st member of the eurozone, marking a historic milestone in European integration. In this LinkedIn video, ECB President Christine Lagarde celebrates this major event with a message of optimism and solidarity. "The wait is almost over," Lagarde declares, emphasizing that this transition represents far more than a simple currency change. Bulgaria's euro adoption strengthens commercial exchanges, facilitates cross-border movement, and consolidates financial stability across Europe. This accession crowns a rigorous multi-year process. After joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II in July 2020 alongside Croatia, Bulgaria demonstrated its capacity to meet all economic convergence criteria. On July 8, 2025, the EU Council adopted three final legislative acts authorizing euro introduction at an official conversion rate of 1.95583 lev per euro. For Bulgaria, this transition brings substantial prosperity and economic security benefits. Wi