Bulgaria’s Euro Changeover Continues with Expanded Services, Legal Rules and Inspections 2026

Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s transition to the euro, officially introduced on January 1, 2026, is progressing with expanded exchange services, tightened legal rules on change and intensified inspections, authorities said this week.
More than 100 on-duty bank branches are now open on Saturdays to exchange leva into euros, an initiative led by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) and supported by commercial lenders, to help citizens access the new currency during the month-long period of dual circulation of leva and euro. There is no fee for these exchanges, and banks cannot refuse to convert leva into euros, though large transactions (over BGN 30,000) require prior notice. Customers have filed only a small number of complaints relative to the high volume of transactions handled so far.
At a Tuesday briefing of the Euro Coordination Centre, its head Vladimir Ivanov reiterated that all conditions for exchanging the lev into euros have been ensured, with euro cash expected to be well stocked nationwide after January 20. The dual circulation period, during which both currencies are legal tender, ends on January 31, after which the euro will be the sole legal currency.
Ivanov also stressed that returning change in leva when euro is available is prohibited by law, describing attempts by some traders to do so as unacceptable. He said such practices violate the regulations governing the introduction of the euro.
The Consumer Protection Commission said fines for refusing to give change in euros range from BGN 600 to BGN 7,000, and many proceedings have already been launched against traders failing to comply.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian National Bank confirmed that defaced or deliberately damaged euro banknotes will not be reimbursed if presented for exchange, urging the public and retailers to treat the new currency respectfully and to hand suspicious banknotes to authorities for verification. Bulgaria’s Euro Changeover Continues with Expanded Services, Legal Rules and Inspections 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-01-13 17:44:45 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law