Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Business suffers severe damage from Bulgaria's delayed membership in the Eurozone and Schengen

Bulgaria's Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev
Photo: BGNES-archive

''The loss from Bulgaria's delayed membership in the Eurozone and Schengen is between 4% and 5% of the country's GDP'', Bulgaria’s Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev said in an interview for Nova TV. ''The business loses between EUR 250 million and EUR 500 million just from currency conversion. Separately, delaying eurozone membership leads to higher interest rates and less investment'', Minister Vassilev said. 

The losses stemming from Bulgaria’s delayed membership in Schengen are also huge, Minister Vassilev said with regard to the government’s draft decree, according to which Bulgaria should include in an official document the date January 1, 2025, as a target date for adopting the euro. Assen Vassilev said that this act is necessary, because the caretaker cabinet had not written down the date January 1, 2024, as the target date for Eurozone membership, and because it had drafted a budget with a 6.4% deficit.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria reports 0.1% monthly inflation for August

In August 2025, Bulgaria’s annual inflation rate stood at 5.3%, same as in July, according to data from the National Statistical Institute. Monthly inflation in August dropped to 0.1%, compared to 1.7% in July. Inflation measured from..

published on 9/15/25 1:44 PM

Company invests over 1 million euros in its production in Bozhurishte

A Bulgarian company is expanding its production of laser cutting machines in the Sofia-Bozhurishte Industrial Park, the Ministry of Economy announced. The investment is worth 2 million leva (over 1 million euros). The company will build a new..

published on 9/14/25 9:10 AM
Petar Dilov

Ministry of Economy: The direct impact of US tariffs on Bulgarian exports may total €468 million

The tariffs imposed on European goods by the Trump administration are expected to have both direct and indirect effects on Bulgarian exports.  The Ministry of Economy and Industry has calculated the direct impact at €468 million, while..

published on 9/10/25 4:45 PM