Press releases

In the second quarter of 2024, the municipal authorities issued building permits for the construction of 1 935 residential buildings with 10 271 dwellings, 16 administrative buildings/offices and 1 173 other buildings.

The issued building permits for new residential buildings and other buildings decreased by 4.9% and 14.6% respectively as compared to the second quarter of 2023. There was a 14.3% increase in the number of building permits issued for administrative buildings.

The construction of 1 703 residential buildings with 8 814 dwellings, 14 administrative buildings/offices and 664 other buildings has started.

As compared to the second quarter of 2023, the number of started new residential buildings and other buildings increased by 12.4% and 7.1% respectively. The number of started administrative buildings decreased by 39.1%.

The National Statistical Institute published revised quarterly and annual data on employment and unemployment from the Labour Force Survey in 2021. The revision of data stemmed from the revision of data on the population of the country, based on Population Census 2021, which were used in the estimation of the results of the survey. For the employment and unemployment rates, the difference is 0.6 percentage points for the employment rate and 0.1 percentage point for the unemployment rate, respectively.

Revised data for 2022 were published in October 2023.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market', Labour Force Survey.

In July 2024, the total business climate indicator decreases by 1.5 percentage points compared to the previous month. A reduction of the indicator is observed in industry, construction and retail trade, and in service sector preserves approximately its June level.

The uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, insufficient demand and costs of materials continue to be the main factors limiting the business development in the sectors.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry fell by 0.4% in June 2024 compared to the previous month. Drop of 2.2% was registered in the mining and quarrying industry, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 0.6%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 0.2%. 

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market went down by 0.9% in June 2024 compared to May 2024. The domestic prices decreased in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 2.8%, while in the manufacturing industry increased - by 0.1%, the mining and quarrying industry kept the level of the previous month.

The Total Producer Price Index went down by 0.3% in June 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. There was a considerable decline of the prices in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 10.7%. An increase was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 11.0%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 2.6%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market fell by 2.8% compared to June 2023. A drop was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 11.1%. An increase was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 11.3%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 1.1%.

In May 2024, compared to April 2024, for the production of energy products no increase is observed in any of the products. A decrease is reported in the production of: solid fuels - by 36.6%, electricity - by 19.8%, motor gasoline - by 9.9%, and transport diesel - by 2.3%. There is no change in the production of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gases.

Compared to May 2023, an increase is reported in the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 83.3%, transport diesel - by 19.7%, and electricity - by 1.8%. A decrease is reported in the production of: solid fuels - by 58.5%, and motor gasoline - by 2.0%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

In May 2024, compared to April 2024, an increase is reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 83.7%, transport diesel - by 26.0%, and electricity - by 1.0%. A decrease is reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 34.1%, and natural gas - by 0.5%. There is no change in the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases.

Compared to May 2023, an increase is reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 71.7%, natural gas - by 36.0%, and transport diesel - by 4.8%. A decrease is reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 48.1%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 16.3%, and electricity - by 1.8%.

In 2023, the number of serviced passengers at the airports increased by 19.5% in comparison with 2022 and reached 10 841 217, while the volume of processed goods declined by 17.1% to 22 178 tonnes.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Annual Business Statistics’.

In 2023, the volume of loaded and unloaded goods at river harbours amounted to 3 439 thousand tonnes, which was a 9.6% decrease compared to 2022.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Annual Business Statistics’.

In 2023, the volume of processed goods at sea harbours amounted to 29 983 thousand tonnes, which was 2.4% down on the previous year.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Annual Business Statistics’.

In June 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 854.6 thousand, or 8.1% above the registered in June 2023. The trips with other purposes formed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 42.8%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 40.7%, and with professional purposes - 16.5%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 1 472.9 thousand, or 5.8% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. The predominant share of the visits was with holiday and recreation purposes - 53.4%, followed by trips with other purposes - 38.4%, and with professional purposes - 8.2%.

Transit passes through the country were 31.0% (456.8 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

The National Statistical Institute publishes data on the housing fund as of 31.12.2023. The number of dwellings in the country is 4 304 231, calculated as a sum of the number of dwellings, registered in the 2021 Census, and the number of the newly built dwellings completed up to 31.12.2023, from which the data of the destroyed dwellings is subtracted.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Housing fund'.