Latest news with #Bulgarians
Euronews
6 days ago
- General
- Euronews
In which EU countries are people most at risk of poverty?
Over one in five people in the European Union was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, according to the latest Eurostat figures. Despite a slight decrease of 0.4 percentage points compared to 2023, experts claim that this improvement cannot be revered. "We can't celebrate a small decrease of 0.4 percentage points of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion when what we see is more people living on the streets, longer lines for food and growing need for social aid," the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) wrote in a statement. Bulgaria (30.3%), Romania (27.9%), and Greece (26.9%) reported the highest shares of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion. France has also registered worrying numbers, with the poverty rate here reaching its highest level since 1996. It rose from 14.4% in 2022 to 15.4% in 2023, according to France's statistics bureau, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). This rise particularly affected single-parent families and children, while pensioners were less affected. At the EU level, more than one in five people living in households with dependent children were at a slightly higher risk of poverty or social exclusion than those without. 30.8% of Bulgarians living in households with dependent children are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This is followed by 30.4% of Romanians and 30.2% of Spanish people. By contrast, the lowest rates were seen in the Netherlands at 13%, in Cyprus at 12.7%, and in Slovenia at 9.8%. Meanwhile, 32.3% of Latvians living in households without dependent children were also at risk. This is followed by 29.9% of Estonians and 29.8% of Bulgarians. In Italy, living conditions vary depending on nationality. In 2023, 30.4% of families with at least one foreign citizen were reported at risk of poverty, while this figure was much lower, at 6.3%, for families composed entirely of Italians. Women, young adults aged between 18 and 24, people with a low level of educational attainment and unemployed people were also, on average, more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024 than other groups within the EU population. For instance, in Cyprus, 18.5% of women were at risk of poverty or social exclusion compared to 15.6% of men. "These figures reflect how systemic inequalities affect people at key life stages: women often carry unpaid care burdens, while young people struggle to access stable jobs and housing," the EAPN stated.
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Currency changeover in Bulgaria: the euro replaces the lev in January
The days of the Bulgarian lev are numbered! Bulgaria wants to introduce the European single currency, the euro, in January. The reform efforts are paying off: The European Commission, central bank and EU finance ministers have given the green light. Bulgaria meets all the conditions for the euro: Nevertheless, many Bulgarians are afraid of inflation – even though the euro is one of the most stable currencies in the world. 66 percent believe that Bulgaria is not yet ready. Bulgarian ultra-nationalists and supporters of Russia organise demonstrations against the euro. Society is divided. All EU institutions confirm the opposite: Bulgaria has done its homework and is ready. Are there more advantages or disadvantages associated with switching to euros? First stop for Bulgarian winegrowers. Wine has been cultivated in the region for thousands of years. Ivailo Antonov is managing director of the Bessa Valley winery. Despite summer temperatures of 40 degrees, his vines are thriving: "We plant Syrah. We expect a really good harvest this year.' The company produces 720,000 bottles of wine annually, 80 percent of which is for export. Juggling currencies costs money: "We sell abroad and are paid in euros," says Antonov. 'But when we buy material in Bulgaria, we pay with levs. So we give a lot of money to the bank to transfer money from euro to lev and vice versa." The introduction of the euro eliminates transaction costs, and Bulgaria's entrepreneurs save money. Change of location: In the village of Doganovo I meet Vasil Petrov. At the age of 14, he learned to catch and prepare carp. He also knows his way around accounting. He has been working in the restaurant at the fish pond for seven years. He believes that the euro will become expensive: 'Prices will go up, salaries won't. That scares me.' Bulgarian society is divided into supporters and opponents of the euro. Right-wing populists stoke fears of inflation and organise large-scale demonstrations. With people like Vasil, scaremongering works: 'I don't have a good feeling about giving up the lev, because the banknotes show Bulgarian celebrities. I am afraid to give up a piece of national identity, because we Bulgarians are very nationalistic. We have over 3000 years of history. People are afraid, because we feel that Europe is devouring us." Back to Bessa Valley. Winemaker Antonov disagrees with the point of view of fish chef Vasil. Money has nothing to do with national identity, he says. And: "The euro is the second most important currency in the world. I think we should be proud of that!' In the Bulgarian capital Sofia, I meet Plamen Ralchev. At the University of World Economy, he heads the Department of International Relations. He supports Bulgaria's decision to adopt the euro: 'Bulgaria has committed itself to adopting the euro under the conditions set out in the EU Accession Treaty. So the question is not whether to do that, but when." Euronews: 'When is the best time? 66 percent of Bulgarians say: Our country is not yet ready!" Ralchev: 'A few years ago, the Bulgarian economy was in better shape. We have lost momentum due to political instability and the inability to form a stable government.' Euronews: "Should Bulgaria wait a few more years?" Ralchev: "I do not recommend waiting. We don't know what the economic environment will look like in 2 or 3 years. It could get worse! - The problem is that the pro-European sentiment in Bulgaria is not solid enough.' Euronews: "Every second Bulgarian says: No! We don't want that! – Why?' Ralchev: "Some (Bulgarians) see themselves as Europeans, others think they are a very unique Balkan people. We have deep-seated psychological complexes: Where are we? Where should the journey go, as a nation? And then there's Russia: This rift running through Bulgarian society between pro-Russian and anti-Russian layers is deeply disturbing." Euronews: "Does the euro lead to inflation?" Ralchev: "This is psychological manipulation: Things are getting worse! Prices are exploding! - I expect prices to fall after the introduction of the euro. The market logic will make it clear to traders that they must lower their euro prices if they want to remain competitive in the market." Euronews: 'Why would Bulgaria adopt the euro? What is the advantage - for Bulgaria?" Ralchev: 'The euro is a stability anchor, a lifeboat that we should board.'
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Small business owners in Bulgaria brace for switch to euro in 2026
Small business owners in Bulgaria are facing the upcoming currency change from the lev to the euro with concern, as many fear this might be yet another crisis they have to confront. The concerns arise as the Balkan country of 6.4 million people prepares to switch from its national currency to the European one on 1 January 2026. In the southern Bulgarian city of Haskovo, the Terziev family opened its first organic store more than 10 years ago. With their small business already having weathered several crises, now it faces a new challenge — the switch to the euro. Nikolay Terziev, the owner of the store, says he has begun labelling products with the new currency, but with considerable unease. "No shop owner is an economist," he said. "What worries us is the information we're getting from close acquaintances in countries that have already adopted the euro — yes, economic indicators improve, but the population becomes poorer. But more big businesses profit," Terziev explained. The price of goods is rising Bulgaria is unusual in that it pegged the lev to the euro right from the beginning of monetary union in 1999, even before it joined the EU in 2007. Bulgaria also has very low levels of debt, only 24.1% of annual economic output. That is well below the 60% level set in the economic criteria for eurozone membership. The final step was to bring inflation below the benchmark of 2.8%, or no more than 1.5% higher than the average of the three lowest eurozone members. However, over the past month, there has been a noticeable increase in supplier prices, raising concerns about potential bankruptcy. "Converting Bulgaria to the euro is not our biggest problem. Our big problem is what's causing the price increases. It's simple—when prices rise and people's purchasing power is low, which is the case in Bulgaria, people buy less, and you sell less," said Terziev. The biggest concerns are about January next year, when both currencies will be in circulation for one month. "We know very well that chaos will begin in early January. From January, we'll have to give change in euros; we'll have to calculate in eurocents," Terziev told Euronews Bulgaria. "We'll constantly need to exchange levs for euros and go to banks. We'll have to work and exchange money at the same time. Physically, I don't know how we'll manage that." Too close to call But not all of Terziev's organic store customers don't view shopping in euros; the most recent Eurobarometer poll carried out by the EU showed that 50% of Bulgarians were opposed and 43% in favour. Some of their reasons include fears of inflation, distrust of official institutions in a country that has had seven governments in four years, and widespread misinformation on social media. In Haskovo, many residents say they are not in a hurry to exchange their money. "No, I don't have much to exchange," said one customer. "It's absurd. For now, I choose to stay optimistic and believe it won't be necessary," said another. Although many fear the change, others have expressed trust. "I'm very happy that Bulgaria will adopt the euro. I hope it helps the country economically. I'm not worried," said one customer, Monika Boyuklieva. "I don't think inflation is caused by the euro — it's due to other factors. I hope everything goes smoothly and that there won't be any major price increases," added Boyuklieva. Last month, EU officials gave the green light for Bulgaria to become the 21st member of the eurozone, a key Brussels project aimed at deepening the ties between member countries. Starting 8 August, all retail prices must be displayed in both currencies. All banks must exchange lev until the end of 2026. The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange banknotes and coins from lev to euro for an unlimited period.
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Small business owners in Bulgaria fear change from the lev to the euro
Small business owners in Bulgaria are facing the upcoming currency change from the lev to the euro with concern, as many fear this might be yet another crisis they have to confront. The concerns come as the Balkan country of 6.4 million people is to make the switch from its national currency, the lev, to the euro on 1 January 2026. The Terziev family opened the first organic store in the southern Bulgarian city of Haskovo more than 10 years ago. With their small business already having weathered several crises, now it faces a new challenge—the transition from the lev to the euro. Owner of the organic store, Nikolay Terziev, says he has begun to label products with the new currency, but with lots of unease. "No shop owner is an economist," he says. "What worries us is the information we're getting from close acquaintances in countries that have already adopted the euro— yes, economic indicators improve, but the population becomes poorer. But more big businesses profit," Terziev explained. The price of goods is rising Bulgaria is unusual in that it pegged its currency, the lev, to the euro right from the beginning of monetary union in 1999, even before it joined the European Union in 2007. Bulgaria also has very low levels of debt, only 24.1% of annual economic output. That is well below the 60% level set in the economic criteria for eurozone membership. The last step was getting inflation below the benchmark of 2.8%, or no more than 1.5% higher than the average of the three lowest eurozone members. That is well below the 60% level set in the economic criteria for eurozone membership. The last step was getting inflation below the benchmark of 2.8%, or no more than 1.5% higher than the average of the three lowest eurozone members. But in the past month, there has been a noticeable rise in supplier prices, bringing about the fear of bankruptcy. "Converting Bulgaria to the euro is not our biggest problem. Our big problem is what's causing the price increases. It's simple—when prices rise and people's purchasing power is low, which is the case in Bulgaria, people buy less, and you sell less," says Terziev. Both currencies will be in circulation for one month Bulgaria is unusual in that it pegged its currency, the lev, to the euro right from the beginning of monetary union in 1999, even before it joined the European Union in 2007. Bulgaria also has very low levels of debt, only 24.1% of annual economic output. The biggest concerns are about January next year, when both currencies will be in circulation for one month. "We know very well that chaos will begin in early January. From January, we'll have to give change in euros; we'll have to calculate in euro cents. We'll constantly need to exchange leva for euros and go to banks. We'll have to work and exchange money at the same time. Physically, I don't know how we'll manage that," says Terziev. 50% of Bulgarians were opposed and 43% in favour But not all of the organic store's customers don't view shopping in euros; the most recent Eurobarometer poll carried out by the EU showed that 50% of Bulgarians were opposed and 43% in favour. Some of their reasons include fears of inflation, distrust of official institutions in a country that has had seven governments in four years, and widespread misinformation on social media. Many residents of Haskovo have also said they are not rushing to exchange their money. "No, I don't have much to exchange," said one customer. "Absurd! For now, I choose to stay optimistic and believe it won't be necessary," said another. Although many fear the change, others have expressed trust in our own currency. "I'm very happy that Bulgaria will adopt the euro. I hope it helps the country economically. I'm not worried," says one customer, Monika Boyuklieva. "I don't think inflation is caused by the euro—it's due to other factors. I hope everything goes smoothly and that there won't be any major price increases". Last month, European Union officials gave the green light for Bulgaria to become the 21st member of the euro currency union, a key EU project aimed at deepening the ties between member countries. Starting 8 August, all retail prices must be displayed in both currencies. All banks must exchange lev until the end of 2026. The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange banknotes and coins from lev to euro for an unlimited period.
Euractiv
14-07-2025
- Health
- Euractiv
Bulgarian hospital fraud going unchecked despite patient digital verification app
Only 3% of Bulgarians who regularly pay health insurance contributions have accessed their electronic health records via a mobile app introduced by the government, according to exclusive data provided to Euractiv by the Ministry of Health. The app was launched to curb fake hospital admissions and financial abuse in the healthcare system. As of the end of 2024, only 160,000 citizens had requested and obtained access to their e-health records via the 'eZdrave' smartphone app, and even fewer - just 80,000 (1.5%) - had actually used it. Bulgaria has 5.7 million insured citizens (87% of the population), while the remaining 13% are only entitled to emergency care under national law due to non-payment of contributions. In early 2024, the Ministry launched the free eZdrave app to provide citizens with access to their digital health records and those of their underage children. The app sends real-time notifications for all medical services received. 'By accessing their e-health records, citizens can help safeguard the system from abuse and public fund theft. If services appear in their file that were never provided, they can report it to the authorities,' the Health Ministry told Euractiv. Low oversight fuels hospital fraud A ruling by the Constitutional Court in 2024 stripped the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of some of its key tools for hospital spending control, leading to an unchecked rise in admissions. In just one year, hospitals reported 200,000 more admissions than planned, resulting in over €200 million in overspending. In June 2025, the government announced it would begin sanctioning hospitals and doctors for claiming payments for medical services that were never performed. Still, the system relies on citizens to verify these services - a task they appear largely uninterested in. Calls for legislative changes to improve oversight have gained little traction. In May, an opposition MP from the liberal Democratic Bulgaria party proposed a bill requiring the NHIF to send citizens an SMS every time they are admitted to a hospital, enabling them to detect fraud if false admissions are made in their name. The governing majority, led by the centre-right GERB party, rejected the proposal. 'This is an effective prevention mechanism. If hospitals know that patients will be notified, they will stop misreporting. But we cannot verify how widespread the fraud is, as offenders use real ID data. If victims don't report it, it's impossible to uncover,' the bill's sponsors from the Democratic Bulgaria told Euractiv. Insufficient funding's part Alexander Simidchiev, a member of the parliamentary health committee, added that chronic underfunding in Bulgaria's healthcare system incentivises hospitals to simulate excessive hospitalisations to balance their books. During parliamentary debate, GERB MP Lachezar Ivanov countered that citizens already have access to all their health data via the eZdrave app and warned that SMS notifications for all admissions would impose a significant financial burden on the NHIF. The opposition, however, estimated the cost of such a system at no more than €500,000. Euractiv's reporting suggests that the app's limited reach means digital access alone cannot ensure effective citizen oversight in a healthcare system plagued for years by misuse and corruption. In 2025, Bulgaria's parliament approved a record healthcare budget exceeding €4.6 billion, almost half of which is allocated to hospitals. [Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]
