(CN) — Annual inflation in the eurozone and European Union is drifting away from a 2% goal established by the European Central Bank in 2024. According to a report released Monday by Eurostat, the annual inflation rate climbed to 2.5% in the eurozone in January and 2.8% in the broader European Union.

Several thousand people rallied outside Bulgaria's central bank and the European Commission building in Sofia to protest government plans to introduce the euro as official currency.Clashes broke out between police and nationalist protesters in Bulgaria's capital,

The anti-government protesters, chanting "Resignation" and "No to the Euro", threw red paint, firecrackers and Molotov cocktails at the EU building in Sofia, setting the front door on fire before the police pushed them away.

Thousands of supporters of Bulgaria's ultra-nationalist pro-Russian Vazrazhdane (Revival) party fought with police on February 23 as they attempted to storm the European Union mission in Sofia during a protest against the country's planned adoption of the euro.

In a speech delivered on February 21, 2025, at the European Parliament plenary debate on the ECB Annual Report, ECB President Christine Lagarde provided an

ECB is already considering a central bank digital currency known as the digital Euro.Blockchain technology could feature heavily.