SOFIA, May 13 (MENA) - Bulgarian National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova on Tuesday rejected a proposal by President Rumen Radev to hold a national referendum asking whether Bulgaria should adopt the single European currency in 2026.

Kiselova rejected the proposal as unconstitutional, the Bulgarian News Agency reported.

GERB party leader Boyko Borissov wrote on Facebook that the parliament will not consider the proposal.

According to Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Kiselova's injunction "collapses what little trust remains in the institutions and exposes their claims to be working in the interests of the people and taking their will into account."

The parliamentary majority is marching towards the eurozone but is moving Bulgaria away from the Europe of democracy and law, the Bulgarian News Agency quoted Radev as saying.

The country's Vice President Iliana Iotova backed the proposal, saying, “…we have reached the point of desecrating the Bulgarian lev…This must not be allowed, regardless of the motives.”

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov on Tuesday defended Kiselova’s decision to reject the referendum, adding that this is being done by those trying to divert Bulgaria from its European path. “It is important to follow the laws and procedures. What the Chair of the National Assembly did is within her authority and expertise,” Denkov said.

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) supports the introduction of the single European currency as soon as possible, the union's position states.

The Association of Bulgarian Employers' Organizations (ABEO) firmly expressed its support for Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone on January 1, 2026. Their letter on the matter was addressed to President Rumen Radev, Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova, and Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. (MENA)

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