Bulgaria's political impasse risks postponing entry into Eurozone

Sofia hopes to join the single currency in 2025, but the political difficulties of recent years make this unlikely.

Transcript

00:00Concerns are growing over political instability in Bulgaria, which could disrupt several ongoing

00:07negotiations and dossier with the European Union.

00:11Following Monday's announcement of early parliamentary elections, the seventh in three years, questions

00:17have been raised on the next Bulgarian commissioner, an appointment due by the end of the month

00:23at the latest.

00:25I expect, in fact, these election battles, which began in the National Assembly from now on,

00:32expecting SNT to enter the next elections, to have a reflection on the election of the

00:39European Commissioner.

00:40Therefore, in my opinion, it is most likely that we will reach the decision of the current

00:46European Commissioner, Mrs. Eliana Ivanova, to be the new candidate.

00:51Also on the front burner is Bulgaria joining the Eurozone.

00:57Sofia hopes to join the single currency in 2025, but the political difficulties of recent

01:04years make this unlikely.

01:06The plan was for Bulgaria to join the Eurozone first of January 2025.

01:12This now seems to be an illusive target.

01:17There was no positive report by the European Commission.

01:22The target hasn't been met.

01:26And the caretaking government probably won't have the political muscle to bring those figures

01:34into control.

01:37Bulgaria could also face problems in obtaining the funds allocated to it as part of the European

01:43Recovery Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic.

01:47The payments come with conditions that governments must meet.