Press releases

In the second quarter of 2016 the unemployment rate was 8.0% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 68.0%.

The consumer price index in July 2016 compared to June 2016 was 101.0%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 1.0%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2016 is 3.0% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of June 2016 the number of employees under labour contract increased by 3.4% as compared to the end of March 2016 and reached 2.36 million.

In the second quarter of 2016 in comparison with the first quarter of 2016 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 2.6% getting 946 BGN.

In June 2016, 2 756 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places were functioned in the country. The total number of the rooms in them was 125.8 thousand and the bed-places were 279.5 thousand. In comparison with June 2015 the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 0.9% and the bed-places in them - by 3.9%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in June 2016 was 3 583.5 thousand, or by 23.2% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in June 2016 reached 163.7 million BGN or by 28.6% more compared to June 2015.

In the period January - May 2016 the Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 3.5% compared to the same period of 2015 and amounted to 11 991.6 Million BGN while the imports from the EU decreased by 0.9% and reached 13 159.0 Million BGN.

In May 2016 the exports to the EU increased by 4.4% in comparison with the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 2 396.4 Million BGN while the imports added up to 2 609.9 Million BGN and grew by 0.9%.

In the period January - June 2016 the Bulgarian exports to third countries decreased by 15.1% compared to the same period of 2015 and amounted to 7 015.7 Million BGN while the imports dropped by 16.5% and added up to 7 827.6 Million BGN.

In the period January - June 2016 the total value of all exported goods (both for third countries and EU) amounted to 21 694.2 Million BGN and in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous year the exports decreased by 3.2% while the total value of all imported goods added up to 23 838.5 Million BGN and dropped by 6.4%.

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the second quarter of 2016 the number of newly built residential buildings was 521 and the newly built dwellings in them were 2 248. Compared to the second quarter of 2015 the buildings were by 16 more (or 3.2%) and the newly built dwellings in them increased by 303 or by 15.6%. 

According to the preliminary data, in June 2016 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 1.6% below the level of the previous month. In June 2016 the working day adjusted index of production in construction decreased by 13.0% in comparison with the same month of 2015.

According to the preliminary seasonally adjusted data in June 2016 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month.