Bulgaria adopted the euro as of today, becoming the twenty-first member state of the Eurozone, eighteen years after joining the European Union.
At midnight, the national currency, the lev, was officially replaced by the single European currency.
The country's president, Rumen Radev, described the adoption of the euro as the last stage of European integration, however, expressing regret for the absence of a referendum. The government believes that membership will boost the country's economy, although many citizens are concerned about increases in the prices of goods.
Levas will be accepted for transactions until the end of January.
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