EKIP: Dear readers, we present to your attention an extremely valuable analysis of the "Theory of the Optimal Currency Area" and Italy's experience in introducing the euro. There are many useful things that can be learned from the experience of other countries in joining the eurozone, from which Bulgaria should learn a lesson. On …
More »The legacy of Vladislav Goranov
Vladislav Goranov has decided to become a lobbyist. This is the gist of the news that the former finance minister has decided to establish a consulting firm after his resignation from the GERB government. All doubts about a potential conflict of interest aside, hardly anyone can be seriously surprised by such news. Still …
More »In love with the leva
Author: Steve Hanke Earlier this year, we witnessed a dramatic slowdown in Bulgaria’s headlong rush to abandon the leva and adopt the euro. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov sensed that Bulgarian society was not in favor of being included in the European Monetary Mechanism ERM-II. The year 1997 was both the worst and the best …
More »How far are we with the euro?
They ask me where we are with the euro. In the summer of 2018, Bulgaria made unilateral commitments to carry out a number of actions in several areas - as preconditions for our subsequent admission to ERM-2 and the Banking Union. And now everything has been reported as fulfilled. The Council of Ministers is holding a special meeting and ...
More »Profits for the owners, losses for the taxpayer
Congratulations on your new (quasi-)state bank. At least 1/4 of it. As of yesterday, FIB is already practically 26% owned by the Republic of Bulgaria. In 2 weeks it will become official. The pornographic story has been played out, in which the former financial chief of FIB is appointed governor of the state-owned Bulgarian Development Bank, in order to pour …
More »30. How serious is the threat to the eurozone?
TEAM · 30. How serious is the threat to the eurozone? Deep apologies for the poor sound quality! From the next episode we hope to be able to record in more comfortable live conditions and the technical problems will be eliminated! In this episode we once again reviewed the most significant events in the financial world in …
More »German judges declare war on the European Court of Justice and the ECB
The German Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe has created one of the most serious problems for both the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank in their entire history. This happened with a decision examining the legality of the ECB’s main asset purchase program, or so-called quantitative easing, called the Public Sector Purchase Programme …
More »The "unrecognized" risk for banks from joining ERM-II
Last week, we thoroughly refuted Prime Minister Borisov's claims about the alleged "benefits" of joining the ERM-II currency mechanism in the current crisis. Now we turn our attention to the other side of the coin - the potential risk that we would take if we joined the currency mechanism. The biggest risk is related to the banking system and is ...
More »Is Borisov lying about ERM-II or does he simply not know what he is talking about?
In the last few weeks, the positions of the government, especially in the quasi-single-man rule of Prime Minister Borisov, have been more volatile than the weather. After in February he wisely abandoned the rush to join the so-called "waiting room" of the eurozone - the ERM-II exchange rate mechanism - Borisov turned 180 degrees and a few days ago ...
More »Let's stay at a sanitary distance from the euro
At a special counter-briefing on Sunday, Prime Minister Borissov, provoked by President Radev's statements and veto on the state of emergency law, commented on a range of topics of key importance beyond the pandemic that has hit the world. He made a kind of joke at opponents of joining the eurozone and defenders of the currency board, telling us …
More »
EKIP– Expert Club for Economics and Politics A Different Opinion