With 81 votes "for", 135 "against" and three abstentions, the parliament rejected President Rumen Radev's proposal to hold a national referendum with the question: "Do you agree that Bulgaria should introduce the European currency "euro" in 2026?".
After the vote, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raya Nazaryan, announced that the decision of the parliament would be published in the "State Gazette".
A representative of the presidential institution did not come to the plenary hall to present the reasons for the proposal for a national referendum.
The introduction of the single European currency can and should happen with a convincing national consensus, with the internal conviction of the people, and not with a disregard for their will, the head of state states in his motives. Every Bulgarian citizen has the right to express their opinion regarding their money and well-being, he points out. According to the president, the referendum will be beneficial for Bulgarian democracy, it will give the people a voice and will allow all arguments to be heard.
During the debate, "Vazrazhdane" unfurled a banner in front of the National Assembly tribune with the inscription "Referendum for the Lev! No to the Euro". The Speaker of the National Assembly, Raya Nazaryan, made a remark that this was not allowed in the plenary hall. Manol Peykov from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" and MPs from "Vazrazhdane" entered into a dispute about the ruble, the lev and the euro.