From today, payments in Bulgaria are made exclusively in euros, with the lev no longer accepted as legal tender in everyday transactions. Despite the full switch to the single currency, the stricter oversight of pricing practices remains in force and will continue for several more months.
Until June 30, all traders are still required to display prices simultaneously in both currencies. This applies both to shelf labels and cash register receipts. Alongside the dual prices, the fixed conversion rate of 1 euro = 1.95583 levs must also be clearly shown. The Consumer Protection Commission has reiterated that there is no requirement on which currency appears first, but the font size, color, and visual emphasis must be identical for both values.
During this transitional period, citizens can exchange levs into euros free of charge at commercial banks. In addition, the Bulgarian National Bank will continue to offer unlimited and permanent exchange services at its cash desks, without a time restriction.
According to Vladimir Ivanov, chairman of the Euro Coordination Center, the Law on the Introduction of the Euro remains in effect until August 8, meaning that all accompanying rules and safeguards are still applicable. The main objective, he stressed, is to prevent unjustified price increases during the currency changeover.
Ivanov acknowledged that some short-term tension in the market is natural under these circumstances, but said this was anticipated and that normal business operations are expected to stabilize quickly. He also assured the public that both levs and stotinki can still be exchanged, adding that households are gradually adapting to the use of the euro.
The Consumer Protection Commission will continue inspections to ensure that traders calculate prices correctly and comply with labeling requirements. Tsvetislava Lakova from the Commission emphasized that a breach occurs not when one currency is listed before the other, but when one price is highlighted, printed in a different color, or shown in a smaller font. She called on consumers to report such violations whenever they encounter them.