Adoption of euro raises hope, fears in Bulgaria

SOFIA, Bulgaria — In a dimly lit supermarket, an elderly man stood at the checkout counter, his gnarled hands rummaging through his wallet for familiar lev coins. When the cashier handed him shiny new euro coins in return, he examined them carefully, a mix of curiosity and apprehension etched across his face.

At midnight on Jan 1, Bulgaria officially stepped into the eurozone.