Bulgarians Adopt the Euro With a Whisper of Melancholy but Few Tears

Bulgaria replaced the lev, its currency since the 1880s, with the euro after a month-long phase-in that began Jan. 1. The changeover was long anticipated and divided public opinion; some people expressed sentimental regret while others welcomed the convenience.

The switch came amid recent political upheaval: tens of thousands protested weeks earlier, the president stepped down three weeks before the changeover and the prime minister resigned in December, and elections to choose a new government have not been scheduled.

Practical friction included banks running short of euros, merchants handling mixed payments, and a requirement that prices be posted in both leva and euros until next August. By the final working day before the changeover, about 75 percent of leva had been removed and replaced with about 6.1 billion euros, while an estimated 7.7 billion leva remained in circulation.

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