Bulgaria Joins the Euro Club: A New Era Begins

Bulgaria has finally made the big move to the euro. This change is a huge deal for the country. It's not just about new coins and notes. It's about being part of a bigger European family. The euro is now the official currency in Bulgaria. The old lev is gone. This means over 350 million Europeans now use the same money. The last country to join this group was Croatia, just last year. People in Bulgaria have mixed feelings. Some are excited. Others are worried. A driving instructor, Stefan Bisterkov, thinks it's a good change. He says his 10, 000 leva will now be 5, 100 euros. He believes it will be better.Businesses are mostly happy. A jeweller, Antonia Tsvetkova, thinks it will make things easier. She says traveling will be simpler. No more currency exchange hassles. But not everyone is on board. Some fear prices will go up. Others don't trust the government. There have been protests recently. The government even stepped down last month. Joining the euro zone also means Bulgaria gets a say in big decisions. They now have a seat at the European Central Bank's table. This is a big step for a country that joined the EU in 2007. The journey to the euro has been long. Many governments tried to make it happen. Now, it's finally here. Only time will tell if it's the right move for Bulgaria.