Description
The project is a joint initiative of 168 Chasa Ltd (publisher of 24 Chasa) and the University of National and World Economy (UNWE). The team is led by investigative journalist Stanimir Kumurdjiev (Vaglenov), with Assoc. Prof. Dr Yanko Hristozov is serving as scientific co-lead.
The investigation aims to determine whether, following Bulgaria’s accession to the Eurozone on 1 January 2026, market operators exploited the currency transition to impose covert price increases at consumers’ expense — mirroring documented patterns in Slovakia and Estonia. The team will combine econometric analysis of data from the National Statistical Institute, journalistic investigation of specific market sectors, and a comparative legal audit of Bulgaria’s consumer protection framework.
The project runs for 8 months (May–December 2026) and will deliver 8–10 in-depth publications, an interactive open-data tool, an academic working paper, a policy brief for the European Parliament’s IMCO Committee, and a public event hosted at UNWE. The methodology is designed to be fully replicable, with direct European relevance for future Eurozone accession countries..
“Bulgaria’s entry into the Eurozone is one of the most significant economic transitions in the country’s modern history — and with it comes a responsibility that neither journalists nor scientists can meet alone. The investigative team at 24 Chasa brings decades of frontline experience holding powerful institutions and market actors to account. Combined with the econometric rigour and institutional expertise of UNWE’s researchers, we are uniquely positioned to answer the question that millions of Bulgarian consumers are already asking: are the prices they are paying a fair reflection of the transition, or is someone profiting at their expense? This is exactly the kind of investigation that public interest journalism exists to conduct.” — Stanimir Vaglenov, Online Projects Manager
Project Team
Media outlet
168 Chasa Ltd. (24 Chasa media group)
Sofia, Bulgaria
https://www.24chasa.bg/
Stanimir Vaglenov
Online Projects Manager
Bulgaria
Research organisation
University of National and World Economy (UNWE)
Sofia, Bulgaria
https://www.unwe.bg/
Yanko Hristozov
Expert in finance and euro adoption
Bulgaria
