President Rumen Radev isn’t backing down. After Parliament Speaker Natalia Kiselova refused to allow a vote on his proposal for a national referendum about Bulgaria joining the eurozone in 2026, Radev announced he’ll be taking the matter to the Constitutional Court. Speaking at Sofia Airport, he doubled down on his belief that Bulgarians deserve a say on whether the country is ready to switch to the euro.

The proposal, which Radev unexpectedly announced in a televised speech last week, was dismissed as inadmissible by Kiselova. She sided with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and the ruling GERB party, who had already made it clear they didn’t want the referendum to move forward. While the proposal was supported by parties like „Revival,” MECH, „Greatness,” and TISP, the BSP also came out against it. Even if it had made it to a vote, most expected it wouldn’t pass.

Radev accused the National Assembly of breaking the law in an unprecedented way, saying their refusal to even discuss the idea was a clear attempt to shut down a debate that matters to many people. He also pushed back against claims that his proposal was “anti-euro,” saying his goal is simply to ask the public whether they believe the country is actually ready for the euro — not to reject it outright.

According to Radev, his initiative has already helped bring long-ignored issues into the spotlight. He pointed out that even political heavyweights like Peevski and Borissov have recently admitted there are real concerns — especially about rising prices and economic control once the euro is adopted.

He warned that without proper preparation, Bulgaria could face serious problems. He pointed to examples from other countries where prices on everyday essentials jumped sharply right before switching to the euro. With nearly one-third of Bulgarians at risk of poverty and 1.3 million already below the poverty line, he argued, this is a risk the country can’t afford to ignore.

Radev also criticized the government for not having a clear plan to soften the economic blow. He noted that budget revenues in early 2025 are lagging behind, while spending and borrowing are at record highs — making the whole situation even more fragile.

For Radev, the referendum isn’t just about the euro. It’s about transparency and giving people a real voice. He says the government has a duty to explain both the pros and cons of euro adoption honestly, and to earn public trust through action, not just political spin.

He ended with a reminder that his role as president is to represent all Bulgarians — especially the ones whose voices usually go unheard. “Solidarity is more important than currency,” he said, stressing that joining the euro shouldn’t come at the cost of democracy or social unity.