Pro-Russian protesters set fire to the EU representation office in Bulgaria's capital.

On Saturday, February 22, a crowd of supporters from the pro-Russian party "Revival" threw Molotov cocktails at the entrance of the European Union office in Bulgaria's capital, Sofia. They were protesting against the introduction of the euro in the country instead of the national currency.

Supporters of the pro-Russian party "Revival" splashed red paint on the EU representation building, threw Molotov cocktails and firecrackers. Subsequently, the police pushed back the radicals. During the clashes, at least 10 police officers were injured. The government condemned the participants in the incident, stating in its announcement that such attacks are "unacceptable" and "contradict the principle of the rule of law."

The demonstration started in front of the Central Bank building in Sofia. The demonstrators carried flags of Bulgaria and the former USSR and GDR, as well as banners reading "We do not want the euro."

Video X/L'Espresso

"We do not want Bulgarian financial independence to be destroyed. We want to preserve Bulgarian leftists. We are here to defend freedom," stated the head of the "Revival" party, Kostadin Kostadinov, to journalists.

"Our EU office has been vandalized," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling the attack "outrageous."

The new Bulgarian government, led by Rosen Zhelyazkov from the center-right GERB party since January, confirmed its intention to join the eurozone in January 2026. This year, the state budget deficit is expected to be around 3% of GDP, paving the way for Bulgaria to adopt the single currency. However, opinions among Bulgarians regarding the introduction of the euro are divided. Many fear that it could lead to a sharp rise in prices, similar to what occurred in Croatia in 2023.

The "Revival" party, which accuses the central bank and the National Statistical Institute of "fabricating data" to facilitate the euro's introduction, has called for a broad public discussion on the economic consequences of transitioning to a new currency. Economists believe that adopting the euro would be beneficial for Bulgaria. The country could attract more foreign investments, and its higher credit rating would help reduce debt servicing costs.