The Eurogroup has formally congratulated Bulgaria on the way it has managed the transition to the euro , describing the process as smooth and well executed. The assessment was made by Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis on January 19, following the first Eurogroup meeting since Bulgaria adopted the euro as legal tender on January 1, 2026, according to a statement released by the Council of the EU. Pierrakakis underlined that the euro remains a core element of the European project,