Press releases

The number of employees under labour contract at the end of June 2023 increased by 25.2 thousand, or 1.1%, as compared to the end of March 2023 and reached 2.33 million according to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).  The highest increase was observed in economic activities: ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 29.1%, ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’- by 3.8% and ‘Real estate activities’ - by 1.8%. The highest decrease of the number of employees by 1.6% was recorded in economic activity ‘Education’.

In the second quarter of 2023, in comparison with the first quarter of 2023, the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 4.0% and reached 1 957 BGN. The highest increase in wages and salaries was reported in ‘Construction’ - by 8.5%, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 8.3% and in ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ - by 7.5%.

For the period July 3rd - August 6th 2023 dead persons in Bulgaria are 8 956 and they are 1 154 less than during the same period in 2022. The data on deaths in Bulgaria for period (27th - 31st week) and by week are available at the following links:

Mortality | Infostat (infostat.nsi.bg)

Deaths in Bulgaria by weeks | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

In the period January - May 2023, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 4.6% compared to the same period of 2022 and amounted to 23 702.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 4.3% and reached 24 496.8 million BGN.

In May 2023, the exports to the EU decreased by 16.0% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 4 741.9 million BGN, while the imports dropped by 2.3% and amounted to 4 963.8 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU in the period January - May 2023 compared to the same period of 2022 was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (19.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (67.2%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (24.2%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (59.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 3.1% compared to the period January - June 2022 and amounted to 16 001.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 15.4% and added up to 19 452.2 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to the period January - June 2022 was recorded in the sections ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (68.7%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.9%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (36.3%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (21.5%) and ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (19.5%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.6%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 44 433.4 million BGN in the period January - June 2023, which is 3.1% 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 48 783.4 million BGN and dropped by 6.2%.

In June 2023, 3 232 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 138.4 thousand rooms and 310.1 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with June 2022, the accommodation establishments increased by 4.6% and the bed-places in them - by 5.1%.

The total number of nights spent was 3 337.9 thousand, or by 18.2% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 16.4% compared to the same month of 2022 and reached 975.5 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 229.2 million BGN, or by 28.2% more compared to June 2022.

The Industrial Production Index increased by 0.7% in June 2023 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 6.6%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 4.2%, and in the manufacturing - by 0.4%.

In June 2023, a drop of 9.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index in comparison with the same month in 2022.

Compared to June 2022, a drop was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 27.4%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.8%, and in the manufacturing - by 6.2%.

In June 2023, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices kept the level of the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The turnover in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ was unchanged compared to May 2023, an increase was reported in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 0.8%, while in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ a decrease was registered - by 1.2%.

The calendar-adjusted turnover went up by 2.4% compared to the same month in 2022.

An increase was observed in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ (9.7%) and in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ (4.2%), while in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ a decrease was registered (0.5%).

Тhe index of production in the ‘Construction’ section decreased by 1.1% in June 2023 compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering fell by 1.6% and the production of building construction - by 0.6%.

Compared to June 2022, the index of production in construction went down by 2.2%. A decrease was registered both in civil engineering - by 4.8%, and in building construction - by 0.2%.

The National Statistical Institute publishes data from the "System of Health Accounts" survey for 2021. The survey is carried out in accordance with the Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1901 implementing Regulation (EC) N 1338/2008 as regards statistics on healthcare expenditures and financing.

The System of Health Accounts provides statistical information on health expenditure by type of provider; by functions according to the aims of the medical activities (curative care, rehabilitation, clinical laboratory, sanitary transport, etc.) and according to the financial sources. The aim is to assess all healthcare expenditures - both public and household, spending of non-profit organizations (foundations, associations), private health insurance funds, enterprises for activities in labour medicine.

The total current health expenditure in 2021 is BGN 11 893.5 million, with almost two-thirds of them (64.7%) being expenditure on Government schemes and compulsory contributory health care financing schemes (ministries and administrations, municipalities, NHIF, NSSI). The outlined trend of reduction in household out-of-pocket payment continues, and in the current year their share is 34.0% of the total current health expenses (35.5% in 2020). Almost unchanged is the share of the expenditure of Voluntary health care payment schemes (Voluntary health insurance schemes, NPISH financing schemes, Enterprise financing schemes for occupational medicine) – 1.3%.

When analyzing the data, it should be kept in mind that all institutional and analytical statistical units that have functions according to the classification of functions, regardless of whether they are units of the Health sector as economic activities in statistical practice are included in the survey coverage. In addition, when estimating the current health expenditure in 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic and any measures taken to limit its spread also have an impact.

Detailed data on the System of health accounts are available to all users on the NSI website under the heading Health - System of Health Accounts.

According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute in the second quarter of 2023, the number of newly built residential buildings was 1 180, and the newly built dwellings in them were 5 198. Compared to the second quarter of 2022, the buildings were by 17 less (or by 1.4%), and the newly built dwellings in them increased by 1 121 more, or 27.5%.

75.3% of the newly built residential buildings had steel-concrete construction, 20.9% had solid structure, 3.6% had ‘other’ and 0.2% had a panel. The highest is the relative share of houses (78.7%), followed by blocks of flats (15.6%).

The highest is the number of residential buildings built in the district of Sofia (stolitsa) - 204 residential buildings with 1 168 dwellings, followed by Plovdiv - 163 residential buildings with 449 dwellings, and Burgas - 130 buildings with 1 352 dwellings in them.

The highest is the number of newly built dwellings with three rooms (32.9%), followed by the number of those with two rooms (32.0%), and the lowest is the number of dwellings with six and more rooms (4.2%).

In the second quarter of 2023, the total useful space of newly built dwellings was 500.1 thousand sq. m, or 17.6% more, compared to the same quarter of 2022, and the living floor space increased (by 16.0%) to 395.5 thousand sq. meters.

The average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling decreased from 104.3 sq. m in the second quarter of 2022 to 96.2 sq. m in the same quarter of 2023.

The biggest average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling was recorded in the districts of Silistra - 212.9 sq.m and Sofia - 157.0 sq. m, and the smallest ones in Burgas- 53.0 sq. m, and Veliko Tarnovo- 72.3 sq. meters.