Press releases

Тhe index of production in the ‘Construction’ section increased by 0.8% in January 2023 compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering rose by 1.0% and the production of building construction - by 0.8%.

Compared to January 2022, the index of production in construction went down by 0.4%. In civil engineering, a decrease of 3.1% was registered, while in building construction an increase of 1.6% was observed.

In January 2023, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 1.8% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth in turnover was reported in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 2.6% and in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 2.0%, while in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ was observed a decrease - by 0.2%.

The calendar adjusted turnover rose by 5.6% compared to the same month in 2022.

An increase was seen in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ (8.5%), in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ (8.1%) and in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ (0.2%).

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 3.0% in January 2023 compared to December 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month, a decline was reported in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.9%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 5.0% and in the manufacturing - by 1.9%.

In January 2023, a decrease of 4.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index in comparison with the same month in 2022.

Compared to January 2022, a drop was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 28.9% and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 18.5%, while an increase was seen in the manufacturing - by 4.0%.

According to the preliminary data, GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 2.1% in 2022 compared to 2021.

GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 according to the preliminary data.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2.3% and gross value added (GVA) by 2.8% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 (data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted).

The increase in gross value added is determined by the growth in the following economic activities:

Construction - 27.6%, Professional, scientific and technical activities; administrative and support service activities - 5.6%, Mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; water supply, waste management and remediation activities - 3.5%, Public administration and defence; compulsory social security; education; human health and social work activities - 2.9%, Financial and insurance activities - 2.1%, Arts, entertainment and recreation, repair of household goods and other services - 1.9% and Information and communication - 1.7%.

A decline was registered in:

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; transportation and storage; accommodation and food service activities - 1.6%, Real estate activities - 1.0% and in Agriculture, forestry and fishing by 0.3%.

Regarding the expenditure components of GDP, contributor to the registered positive economic growth is the final consumption, with a growth of 5.8% and gross fixed capital formation - 1.1%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, in the fourth quarter of 2022, exports of goods and services increased by 9.0% and imports of goods and services - 9.3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021.

2022 - Annual figures

In 2022, GDP at current prices calculated as a sum of the quarters is 165 384 million BGN. Preliminary data show an increase of GDP for 2022 in real terms by 3.4% compared to 2021.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the National Statistical Institute continued conducting an additional survey to the Household Budget Survey in order to carry out quarterly monitoring of changes in the living conditions of households as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, by the project  ‘Income and Living Conditions (ILC) - Statistical infrastructure under IESS - SILC 2022, ‘Collection of annual data for 2021 and 2022’ module’ under Grant Agreement with the European Commission № 101052273 - 2021-BG-ILC-SILC. For the study, 5 703 persons aged 16 and over from 3 056 households were surveyed.

The results of the additional survey can be viewed in the press releases under the heading ‘Income, expenditure and consumption of households’.

In December 2022, compared to November 2022, an increase is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 5.8%, and electricity - by 4.5%. A decrease is reported for the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 25.0%, transport diesel - by 20.4%, and unleaded motor gasoline - by 3.1%. No change for the production of natural gas.

In December 2022, compared to the same month of the previous year, during which planned repairs of production installations were carried out, the production of liquefied petroleum gases and unleaded motor gasoline increased significantly, as well as transport diesel - by 43.0%, and solid fuels - by 1.3%. A decrease is reported for the production of: natural gas - by 50.0%, and electricity - by 12.6%.

In December 2022, compared to November 2022, an increase is reported for the deliveries in all energy products as follows: liquefied petroleum gases - by 34.1%, natural gas - by 26.1%, electricity - by 17.1%, transport diesel - by 16.1%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 15.8%, and solid fuels - by 4.7%.

In December 2022, compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: unleaded motor gasoline - by 69.2%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 44.7%, and transport diesel - by 13.9%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 23.9%, electricity - by 3.5%, and solid fuels - by 2.6%.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry decreased by 2.2% in January 2023 compared to the previous month. Lower prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 8.3%. The prices went up in the mining and quarrying industry by 3.2% and in the manufacturing by 1.1%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 4.2% in January 2023 compared to the previous month. The domestic prices went down in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 9.7%. The prices increased in the mining and quarrying industry by 3.6% and in the manufacturing by 1.2%.

The Total Producer Price Index rose by 16.8% in January 2023 compared to the same month of 2022. Significant growth was seen in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 21.7%, in the manufacturing by 14.4% and in the mining and quarrying industry by 10.7%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market went up by 19.1% compared to January 2022. Prices rose in manufacturing by 19.5%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 18.9% and in the mining and quarrying industry by 13.4%.

In February 2023, the total business climate indicator increases by 1.4 percentage points compared to the previous month. An improvement of the indicator is observed in industry, construction and service sector, and in retail trade preserves its level from January.

The uncertain economic environment remains the main difficulty for the activity of the enterprises in all sectors.