Press releases

In the first quarter of 2023, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.3% compared to the first quarter of 2022.

In April 2023, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 4.2 percentage points compared to January 2023.

During the first quarter of 2023, 70.0% of GDP was spent on individual consumption.

The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.1%.

Тhe unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points and stood at 4.4%.

The total hourly labour cost rose by 15.1% for the first quarter of 2023.

In the first quarter of 2023, the house price index increased by 9.5%.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry decreased by 2.9% in May 2023 compared to the previous month. Lower prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 4.4%, in the manufacturing by 2.4%, and in the mining and quarrying industry by 2.2%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market fell by 2.5% in May 2023 compared to the previous month. The domestic prices decreased in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 4.3%, in the mining and quarrying industry by 2.9%, and in the manufacturing by 1.3%.

The Total Producer Price Index went down by 6.7% in May 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. Prices fell in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 19.4%, in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.4%, and in the manufacturing by 1.5%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 7.0% compared to May 2022. Lower prices were reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 18.9%. An increase was observed in the manufacturing by 2.1%, and in the mining and quarrying industry by 0.4%.

In April 2023, compared to March 2023, for the production of energy products, no increase is observed for any of the products. A decrease is reported for the production of: unleaded motor gasoline - by 59.1%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 40.0%, solid fuels - by 27.1%, electricity - by 17.3%, and transport diesel by - 7.9%. No change for the production of  natural gas.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, a decrease is reported for the production of: unleaded motor gasoline - by 67.4%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 57.1%, natural gas - by 50.0%, solid fuels - by 44.1%, transport diesel - by 25.7%, and electricity - by 25.6%.

In April 2023, compared to March 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 4.7%, and transport diesel - by 1.8%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 29.2%, natural gas - by 18.1%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 11.8%, and electricity - by 11.1%.

Compared to the same month of 2022, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 32.4%, natural gas - by 5.0%, and electricity - by 2.7%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 51.1%, transport diesel - by 13.0%, and unleaded motor gasoline - by 3.2%.

In June 2023, the total business climate indicator preserves approximately its level from the previous month. An improvement of the indicator is registered in retail trade, in the industry remains on its May level, and in construction and service sector a decrease is observed.

The main problem for the activity in all sectors remain the uncertain economic environment.

In Bulgaria during 2022 were published 11 828 books and pamphlets, which is with 129 more than the previous year. With the highest number were the scientific issues 3 369 titles, followed by the fiction for adults – 1 891. The translated titles were 2 596, of which  than half were translated from English (56.8%), followed by the editions translated from Russian – 6.4%, German – 5.7% and French – 5.5%. The highest number of books and pamphlets were published in Sofia (stolitsa)  – 7 734, followed by Plovdiv (837) and Varna (670) districts.

In 2022 were issued 191 newspapers, from which were 25 dailies, and in comparison with the previous year, their number decreased respectively by 10 and 4. The highest number of newspapers were issued in Sofia (stolitsa) district – 47.1% of all editions. 442 magazines and 61 bulletins were published and in comparison with 2021, the number of magazines increased by 2 and bulletins by 8.

In May 2023, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 772.5 thousand, or 5.9% above the registered in May 2022.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) in May 2023 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 43.9%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purpose - 37.1%, and with professional purpose - 19.0%.

In May 2023, the number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 930.5 thousand, or 15.8% more in comparison with May 2022. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered. Transit passes through the country were 36.5% (340.1 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

The total export price index during the first quarter of 2023 by sections of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC, rev. 4) is 97.9%, which is a 20.6% percentage points decrease in the index compared to the same period of the previous year.

The total import price index for the reporting period by sections of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC, rev. 4) is 99.8%, which is a 16.6% percentage points decrease in the index compared to the same period of the previous year.

In 2022 the average price of arable land transactions in Bulgaria reaches BGN 1 428 per decare, and the average price of arable land rents - BGN 63 per decare. Compared to the previous year, the price of arable land increased by 21.6%, and the rent payments - by 21.2%.

Compared to the previous year, there was an increase in the price of arable land transactions and in the price paid for rent/lease of one decare in all six statistical regions of the country.

In the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2022 the total hourly labour cost rose by 15.1% (preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 18.2% in industry, 15.7% in services and 14.1% in construction.

The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in ‘Transportation and storage’ - by 23.6%, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 23.5%, and ‘Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities’ - by 19.6%.

As of September 7, 2021 there are 2 866 657 households in Bulgaria - private and institutional. Nearly three-quarters (74.9 %) of all households live in cities. The average size of a household decreased from 5.6 persons in 1900 to 2.2 persons in 2021. As of September 7, 2021, 949 institutional households were counted in Bulgaria, in which 25 866 people live, or 0.4% of the country's population. Their average size is 27.3 persons.