Bulgaria to apply to join euro zone's 'waiting room' by end-April

Bulgaria will apply to join the euro single currency zone's "waiting room" by the end of April, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Friday.

Borissov said Sofia will speed up its application after discussing the plan with the president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, and senior officials at the European Commission.

"This (coronavirus) crisis has shown us that those who are in the eurozone and in its 'waiting room' will have billions of euros for recovery. Those who are not will have to take on debt at high-interest rates," he told reporters. Borissov said he was convinced Bulgaria, along with Croatia, will be allowed to join.