SOFIA, Bulgaria, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Bulgaria's hopes of adopting the euro currency in three years took a blow from EU and banking officials in Brussels, local media said Monday.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met with European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Sofia News Agency said.
However, Borisov said he believes Bulgaria's hopes of using the euro are being affected by the political and economic turmoil in neighboring Greece, the report said.
Officials from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are to arrive Thursday in Sofia to review the country's financial position and plans, the agency said.
The finance ministry said Bulgaria posted the smallest recessionary deficit of all 27 EU members last year and is the only country on track to balance its budget this year.
Of the 27 EU members, 16 countries use the euro as currency.
