Press releases

In the first quarter of 2024, the newly registered legal entities in the country were 12 229, and those declared bankrupt - 992. Compared to the same quarter of 2023, the total number of newly registered decreased by 7.4%, and that of bankrupts - by 14.1%.

The distribution by economic sectors shows that the relative share of newly registered legal entities is the largest in sector G ‘Trade; car and motorcycle repair’ - 88.4% of all newly registered units in the second quarter of 2023. Among the companies declaring bankrupt, the largest share is in sector G ‘Trade; repair of cars and motorcycles’ - 78.3% of the total number of bankrupted legal entities.

In March 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.2% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in March 2024 compared to March 2023 was 3.0%.

In March 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered for Recreation and culture (+0.9%), Communications (+0.9%) and Transport (+0.8%). The decrease was recorded in the prices for Clothing and footwear (-0.6%), Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-0.5%) and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (-0.1%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.2% and the annual inflation rate was 3.1%.

According to the second estimate of Economic Accounts for Agriculture, the final output of the agricultural 'industry' at basic prices in 2023 amounted to 10.7 billion BGN. Gross value added at basic prices decreased by 28.1% on an annual basis and reached 4.2 billion BGN, and net entrepreneurial income amounted to 1.2 billion BGN.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Economic accounts for agriculture – annual data'.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 9.3% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 4 465.0 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 13.2% and added up to 5 886.5 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the sections ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (12.9%) and ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (7.9%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (47.6%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (6.2%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (27.1%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 12 808.8 million BGN in the period January - February 2024, which is 11.4% less than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 15 097.0 million BGN and dropped by 6.8%.

In January 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 17.0% compared to January 2023 and amounted to 4 094.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 0.5% and reached 4 556.7 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same month of 2023 was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (38.3%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (54.3%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (252.2%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (18.0%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

In February 2024, 2 177 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 62.2 thousand rooms and 128.4 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the accommodation establishments increased by 5.1% and the bed-places in them - by 3.5%.

The total number of nights spent was 1 181.9 thousand, or by 1.2% less in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 2.1% and reached 480.2 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 106.9 million BGN, or by 15.8% more compared to the same month of the previous year.

The Industrial Production Index in February 2024 remains unchanged compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decrease was seen in the mining and quarrying industry - by 9.8%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 0.8%, while an increase was registered  in the manufacturing - by 2.9%.

In comparison with February 2023, a decline of 8.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a drop in the Industrial Production Index was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 20.8%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 20.7%, and in the manufacturing - by 3.3%.

In February 2024, the index of production in the ‘Construction’ section increased by 1.4% compared to the previous month. An increase was seen in the production of specialised construction activities - by 2.6%, in the civil engineering - by 1.2%, and in the production of building construction - by 0.5%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The calendar-adjusted data showed an increase of 3.3% in the construction production compared to the same month of 2023. A rise was registered in the civil engineering - by 8.1%, and in the specialised construction activities - by 6.3%. In the building construction, a decrease of 2.0% was observed.

In February 2024, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Аn increase was observed in the food, beverages and tobacco, and in the non-food products (except fuel) - by 2.8% and 1.4%, respectively. A downgrade by 0.7% was registered in the automotive fuel.

The calendar-adjusted turnover rose by 3.2% compared to the same month in 2023.

Аn increase in turnover was registered in the food, beverages and tobacco - by 10.3%, and in the non-food products (except fuel) - by 3.7%, while in the automotive fuel in specialised stores, a drop by 14.0% was noted.

Since 2024 NSI has started publishing monthly Indices of production in services in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics. The purpose of the production index is to measure changes in the volume of output at monthly intervals.

Production indices in services are calculated by deflating the turnover indices for each activity with the corresponding producer price indices.

The total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 0.8% in January 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

During January 2024, the production index in Services of the business economy increased by 3.3% compared to the same month of 2023. The data are preliminary and calendar-adjusted.