On February 1, Bulgaria ended its transition period for currency change, during which it was possible to pay in both Bulgarian levs and euros. Now, payments are made exclusively in euros, according to the Bulgarian service of Radio Liberty.
“At midnight on January 31, the one-month period during which the euro and the lev were in simultaneous circulation in Bulgaria ended. From February 1, merchants no longer accept payments in levs and must give change only in the single European currency,” according to a statement on the publication’s website.
People who still have cash levs can exchange them for euros at commercial banks and Bulgarian Post offices until June 30. After that date, commercial banks may set a certain exchange rate, but the Bulgarian National Bank will continue to offer cash lev-euro exchanges free of charge and without a deadline.
Retail chains will have to display prices for goods in both euros and levs for another six months, until August 8, “for transparency and to prevent speculative practices.”
Although the law prohibits sellers of goods and services from raising prices during the first six months of the euro’s introduction, hundreds of complaints about possible violations have already been received.
Bulgaria joined the eurozone on January 1, 2026, 18 years after joining the EU. January was a transition period when the lev and the euro were in circulation simultaneously.
