What is in a letter? (Еуро / Евро)

Bulgaria has been a member of the European Union since January 1, 2007 and, like most countries (except for the founding members), it must eventually phase out its national currency and implement the "euro.” (Bulgaria’s currency is called the “lev,” an older word for the national symbol, the lion).

Few people know that Bulgaria's ascension to the European Union did more than add one more country to the European family – it added a whole new alphabet. Now, the European Union officially writes in three alphabets -- Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic.

Bulgarian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, attributed to the Bulgarian monks St.St. Cyril and Methodius (Св.Св. Кирил и Методий). The Bulgarian script is also used in the Russian, Belarusian, “Macedonian,” Serbian, and Ukrainian alphabets, to name a few.

The problem in the Montenegrin case stemmed from the European Central Bank’s insistence that the word “euro” be transcribed “euro” (еуро), instead of “evro” (евро) in Cyrillic in the contract.

Bulgarians, who are very proud and possessive of the Cyrillic alphabet, found the ECB transcription to be an encroachment on their cultural identity, as well as odd-sounding, considering that the word “Europe” is transcribed “Evropa” (Европа), not “Europa” in Bulgaria.

The ECB maintains that "the name of the common currency unit must be the same in all the official languages of the EU." Bulgaria, on the other hand, believes that the usage of different alphabets requires a more nuanced approach, when it comes to crafting contracts and currency.

The Prime Minister demanded that in Bulgaria’s version of the contract, they be allowed to use write “evro” (евро). This action would prevent the “un-Bulgarian” transcription in their contracts and once it comes time to print it on the euro notes.

Bulgaria's threat to block the SAA and the important European Reform Treaty convinced the ECB to grant them the exclusive right to use their requested spelling. The ECB and Bulgaria stated that this exception will not convert itself into a legal future precedent.

"Bulgaria did not want to cause problems for Montenegro and I think it was a responsible approach", Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev told journalists in Brussels on Sunday (14 October).

"It would have been unfair that a country [such as Bulgaria] which has gone through all these stages of applying, then negotiating and knows what it's all about, that we block their SAA [Stabilisation and Association Agreement]", he added.

Source: The EU Observer
Source: Euro or Evro?
Source: E.U. Reform Treaty