Bulgaria became the 21st member of the eurozone on Thursday (January 1) as celebrations erupted in Sofia with fireworks and crowds cheering outside the central bank building.

The historic moment was marked by a countdown displayed on the Bulgarian Central Bank's facade, followed by images of new Bulgarian euro coins and the European Union flag.

People gathered in the square next to the central bank to celebrate New Year's Eve and Bulgaria's euro adoption.

Many expressed optimism about the change, with marketing researcher Ivaylo Sotirov saying the move represents "the last part of our integration into the European Union."

Jeweller Antonia Tsvetkova welcomed the currency switch, noting that travellers would no longer face exchange problems and that shop owners were already prepared to accept leva and give euros as change.

Bulgaria joined the euro zone despite opposition from half its electorate, leaving only a handful of countries in the 27-member European Union yet to adopt the currency.

Although public support for the euro is high in some of the remaining countries, including Hungary, eurosceptic parties in governing coalitions and parliaments are likely to hold

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. COUNTDOWN SCREENED ON FACADE OF BULGARIAN CENTRAL BANK, PEOPLE CHEERING

2. NEW BULGARIAN EURO COINS SCREENED ON CENTRAL BANK BUILDING

3. NEW YEAR'S FIRWORK DISPLAY

4. VARIOUS OF VIDEO WITH NEW BULGARIAN EURO COINS AND EUROPEAN UNION FLAG SCREENED ON CENTRAL BANK BUILDING

5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE IN SQUARE NEXT TO CENTRAL BANK BUILDING

6. VIDEO WITH EURO COINS SCREENED ON CENTRAL BANK BUILDING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) MARKETING RESEARCHER, IVAYLO SOTIROV, SAYING:

"Many countries have adopted the euro, so there should not be any particular difficulties related to the eurozone. I support our entry. This is the last part of our integration into the European Union. I think the EU has given us a lot over the years, so I think it is a good step."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) JEWELLER, ANTONIA TSVETKOVA, SAYING:

"My expectations from (adopting) the euro are positive, I do not think there will be anything to worry about, quite the opposite. We will only benefit from this, and it will only be more useful for us. Anyone who goes on a trip will not have problems exchanging currency; now everything will be normal. Even the people in the shops are already prepared and have no worries about accepting Bulgarian leva and giving euros back in change. These are normal things that we will get used to in a week."

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, STEFAN BISTREKOV, SAYING:

"Our money will be in a different currency - if I have 10,000 leva, now I will have 5,100 euros. It is all the same. And I think it will be better."

10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE IN SQUARE, DANCING

11. PEOPLE TAKING SELFIE PHOTOS

12. PEOPLE KISSING

13. MAN TAKING SELFIE PHOTOS

14. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF UBB BANK BRANCH AND ATM SIGN

15. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WITHDRAWING EUROS FROM ATM

16. MAN SHOWING EURO BANKNOTES

17. PEOPLE WITHDRAWING EUROS FROM ATMS

18. MAN SHOWING EURO BANKNOTES