Bulgaria: GERB blocks BNB amendments, raising concerns over eurozone entry

The adoption of amendments to the Law on the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), crucial for Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, was unexpectedly blocked in parliament as the ruling GERB party withheld its support. These changes, introduced by Dimitar Glavchev’s caretaker government, aimed to align the BNB leadership’s responsibilities with constitutional reforms from 2023, which allowed…

Bulgaria: retail chain leads the way in euro adoption with dual pricing

Preparations for Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone are well underway, despite the exact timeline remaining uncertain. While the government has not specified the date of the country’s adoption of the single European currency, regulatory changes are being made to ensure a smooth transition. Recently, the caretaker government has approved a decision requiring the State Commission…

Bulgaria: informal employment persists in service and restaurant sectors

The practice of hiring workers without formal employment contracts remains a widespread violation of labor and social security laws in Bulgaria, according to data from the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions (CITUB) collected over the past year. The most frequently affected sectors include services, repair work and the restaurant industry. Velichka Mikova, CITUB’s national secretary…