Two in three Bulgarian entrepreneurs favour joining the Eurozone in 2024 to adopt the euro, but society is much less inclined to back the currency shift, a recent study has found.
The study, conducted by Alfa Research at the start of November to measure enthusiasm about introducing the euro in Bulgaria, was published on Monday.
Bulgarian business owners have high expectations about adopting the euro, with 59% of them saying they expect a positive effect on the country’s economy, while 61% believe it will positively affect their own company, the study found.
For society, however, adopting the euro is a source of fear, with just 34% of Bulgarians favouring transition, while 23% oppose it and 27% are completely against it. While most fear an increase in the prices of goods (69%), many others fear the risk of fraud and the artificial rise in prices by unscrupulous traders (57%), while others think adopting the euro will just increase inflation (55%).
Almost a third of those surveyed claim there will be other problems but noted that these would be short-term and surmountable. Another 28% said that if the transition to the euro were to be well organised, they would approve its introduction.
According to the survey, support for the currency could indeed be shifted if the key issues of organisation and countering unfair practices were to be addressed.
Still, many see that introducing the euro to the economy would have a series of positive effects. For example, 59% expect easier and more convenient payment when travelling abroad, which is quite important given the growth in the mobility of Bulgarian citizens. A total of 37% rely on an increase in trade with other countries.
Those most in favour of Eurozone accession included people from larger cities with higher education, higher social status and income.
(Krassen Nikolov | EURACTIV.bg)
Source: euractiv.com
