Press releases

In the first quarter of 2014 the unemployment rate was 13.0%, and the employment rate of population aged 15 - 64 was 59.0%.

The total income average per household member during the first quarter of 2014 is 1177 BGN or by 6.2% more compared to the same quarter of 2013.

The total expenditure per household member during the first quarter of 2014 is 1030 BGN and it is the same in relation to the first quarter of 2013.

The consumption of some main food products average per capita changes during the first quarter of 2014 compared to the first quarter of 2013.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2014 is 1.1% compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of March 2014 the number of employees under labour contract has increased by 2.5% as compared to the end of December 2013 and reached 2.22 millions.

In the first quarter of 2014 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2013 the average monthly wages and salaries decreased by 3.9% getting 796 BGN.

The consumer price index in April 2014 compared to March 2014 was 100.3%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.3%.

In March 2014, 1 908 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 55.2 thousands and the bed-places were 109.8 thousands. In comparison with March 2013 the total number of accommodation establishments increased by 4.3% and the bed-places in them - by 4.9%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in March 2014 was 701.1 thousands or by 10.9% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. The total revenues from nights spent in March 2014 reached 32.9 million BGN or by 9.9% more compared to March 2013.

The index of producer prices in agriculture in the first quarter of 2014 has decreased by 11.8% in comparison with the same quarter of 2013 and has increased by 2.7% compared to 2013.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2014 was 3.2% below the level in the same quarter of 2013 and with 3.5% compared to 2013.

In the period January - March 2014 Bulgarian exports to third countries decreased by 16.8% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to 3.4 Billion BGN while the imports decreased by 7.8% and added up to 4.4 Billion BGN.

In the period January - March 2014 the total value of all exported goods (both for third countries and EU) amounted to 9.5 Billion BGN and compared to the corresponding period of 2013 the exports decreased by 6.9% while the total value of all imported goods added up to 11.7 Billion BGN and increased by 0.3%.

The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in the country as of 31.12.2013 was 770 with 30 120 places in them. 31 199 children were accommodated there at the end of 2013. 16 122 of them were boys, and - 15 077 girls.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the first quarter of 2014 the number of newly built residential buildings was 532. Compared to the first quarter of 2013 they were by 19 less (or by 3.4%) while the newly built dwellings in them were by 3.8% more.