Stanishev: Our membership in the eurozone will be what we make it

"Bulgaria's membership in the eurozone will be what we make it. It depends on us. I am a firm supporter of our accession, because the country must step into the heart of the EU. Otherwise, we are on the periphery – geographically and economically," commented Sergey Stanishev on the program "This Morning" on bTV.

Political victory and the last step towards our full membership in the EU

“We are always surprised – it snows in the winter – we are not prepared, it gets warm in the summer – we complain. I don’t understand how some are surprised by the convergence report again, since Bulgaria is firmly on the path to the euro from 2020.

It is clear that joining the eurozone will not solve all our problems automatically. And there should be no expectation of that. I remember that during my government, people expected January 1, 2007 to fill their refrigerators and suddenly live better. For so many years in the EU, we have seen both the honey – the huge investments from European funds and private capital that came to us because of the accession, but also the sting – the difficult decisions that we have to make, becoming part of the big market and following the rules of Europe. The EU is not a carefree paradise – we have to fight and win our positions.”

The government has been given a cause until January 1, 2026, it must think about after that date – in the longer term

“The president’s request for a referendum has awakened the cabinet. Institutions such as the CPC, the CPC and the NRA are taking action because there is indeed a speculative increase in prices. The market is a very emotional thing – some traders have raised prices only because of the expectation that we will adopt the euro and knowing that after accession there will be stricter control. People’s fears must be addressed and all myths and lies must be refuted with arguments, openness and transparency. Nothing should remain unclear, even the most absurd statements.

Now the government has been given a cause – by January 1, 2026, it will be stable and united around our accession to the eurozone. But what comes after that date? We must think in the longer term. The world is changing drastically, Europe is looking for a way to return its economic power with the adoption of the “European Competitiveness Compass”. Where is the Bulgarian? A serious conversation needs to start with all sectors of Bulgarian industry. Intellectual effort and political will are needed for this to happen.”

Asked about the lack of consensus in society for our admission to the eurozone, Stanishev commented that “there is almost no consensus on everything, but let’s see what the alternative is – 51st state of the USA, joining the Russian Federation or an overseas province of China? The majority of Bulgarian citizens are firmly convinced of the benefits of our membership in the EU. Yes, a number of things are not perfect – I say this as a former PES president and MEP, but let us also try to change it – from within.”

Europe cannot be successful if it stands on one leg

“The EU is lagging behind the US and China in the global race. That is why measures are being taken now – a new industrial policy, energy autonomy, its own trade strategy. But Europe cannot be successful if it stands on one leg – the voice of the CEE countries must be heard. Yes, after 35 painful years of transition, during which many people lost positions, incomes and prospects – we have nevertheless learned to be more flexible, we have something to offer as experience. But individually we are very small, we must unite. We are making such an attempt next week with the fifth edition of the Green Transition Forum, where EU Commissioners and the Bulgarian government will sit down in a frank conversation with business, the non-governmental sector and academia. We will talk about the single market with Enrico Letta and about the challenges of the global economy with the Nobel laureate for 2024, Professor Daron Acemoglu.”

"There are problems, but let's open our minds and senses to what lies ahead. Let's look for a systematic approach to dealing with crises and everyday problems," Stanishev concluded.