Press releases

In January 2023, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 504.0 thousand or 7.2% above the registered in January 2022.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) in January 2023 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 48.1%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 27.3%, and with professional purpose - 24.6%.

In January 2023, the number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 711.8 thousand or 60.0% more in comparison with January 2022. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered. Transit passes through the country were 35.4% (252.3 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

The goods carried and the transport performance by the freight land and water transport increased by 6.7% and 21.1% during the fourth quarter of 2022 in comparison with the same quarter of 2021. The data are preliminary.

By 27.0% rose the number of transported passengers by the passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) in the fourth quarter of 2022. The transport performance also increased by 40.2%.

Freight land transport

The transported goods by the land transport were by 6.4% more and the transport performance rose by 22.4% than the fourth quarter of 2021.

Freight water transport

The transported goods by the water transport increased by 16.8%. The transport performance, measured in tonne-kilometres, decreased by 29.8%.

Passengers land transport

The number of the transported passengers was by 16.4% more and the transport performance rose by 40.3% compared to the same quarter of 2021.

Passengers water transport

In the fourth quarter of 2022, there was an increase of the transported passengers from the water transport by 17.8 thousand passengers as well in the transport performance by 535.5 thousand pkm.

Urban electrical transport

During the period October - December of 2022 the enterprises performing urban electrical transport transported by 43.9% more passengers. The transport performance increased by 39.4%.

The total turnover index in the section ‘Transportation, storage and post’ decrease by 1.3% for the forth quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter. In the section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index increased by 3.8%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

During the forth quarter of 2022, the total turnover index in the section ‘Transportation, storage and post’ increased by 26.3% compared to the same quarter of 2021. The total turnover index in the section ‘Information and communication’ rose by 18.4%. The data are preliminary and calendar adjusted.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, 1 025.7 thousand Bulgarian residents^[1] made tourist trips^[2]. The majority of them - 80.8% travelled only in the country, 16.0% - only abroad and 3.2% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2021, the total number of travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 28.1%.

According to the results of the survey, in the fourth quarter of 2022:

- The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 74.4%, increasing by 2.6 percentage points in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2021.

- The employment rate of the population aged 15 - 64 increased by 3.0 percentage points in comparison with the same quarter of 2021 and reached 71.5%.

- The unemployment rate was 3.9%, or 0.6 percentage points lower in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2021.

The Labour Force Survey is a sample statistical survey. It is carried out over a sample of non-institutional households. Quarterly, 19.6 thousand households, randomly selected, are observed.

The total income average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2022 is 2 426 BGN and increases by 19.1% compared to the same quarter of 2021.

The total expenditure average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2022 is 2 259 BGN and increases by 19.9% compared to the same quarter of 2021.

The consumption of most basic food products average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2022 decreased compared to the same quarter of 2021. The biggest decrease is in the consumption of bread and paste products - from 19.6 kg to 18.9 kg, meat - from 10.1 kg to 9.6 kg and fruit - from 13.3 kg to 12.8 kg.

The producer price index in agriculture for the fourth quarter of 2022 increased by 18.0% compared to the same quarter of 2021 as a result of an increase in the price index of crop output by 14.7% and livestock output by 36.2%.

Compared to the previous year, the prices of agricultural output increased by 28.2%, and in crop output they increased by 25.9% and in livestock output by 41.3%.

In crop output, in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to the same quarter of 2021, the highest growth was recorded in the prices of cereals - by 30.3%. The trend also retained in comparison to 2021, with the increase in cereal prices by 47.5% and in industrial crops - by 8.8%.

In animal output, in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter of 2021, the prices of live animals increased by 38.0%, and of animal products output - by 34.3%. Compared to 2021, the increase was respectively 37.5% and 45.2%.

The price index of products and services for currently consumed in agriculture for the fourth quarter of 2022 was higher by 22.8% compared to the same quarter of the previous year and by 38.1% compared to 2021.

The biggest increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 was recorded in the prices of mineral fertilizers - by 54.1%, of feedingstuffs - by 30.7% and of seed and planting material - by 24.9%.

Compared to the previous year, the biggest increase was in the prices of: mineral fertilizers by 118.2%, preparations for plant protection - by 38.6% and feedingstuffs - by 38.1%.

According to the preliminary data of the NSI, in January 2023 the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 1.1% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in January 2023 compared to January 2022 was 16.4%.

In January 2023, compared to the previous month, the highest price increase was registered for Transport (+2.3%), Miscellaneous goods and services (+1.7%), Health (+1.5%) and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.5%). The decrease was recorded in the prices for Clothing and footwear (-1.9%) and Recreation and culture (-0.1%).

According to the preliminary data of the NSI, in January 2023 the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 1.0% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in January 2023 compared to January 2022 was 14.1%.

The number of employees under labour contract at the end of December 2022 decreased by 0.7%, as compared to the end of September 2022 and reached 2.26 million according to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute. The highest decrease was observed in economic activities: ‘Administrative and support service activities’ - by 5.9%, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’- by 5.8%  and ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ - by 4.5%. The highest increase in the number of employees was recorded in economic activities: ‘Education’ - by 1.2% and ‘Arts, entertainment and recreation’ - by 1.1%.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, in comparison with the third quarter of 2022, the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 7.8% and reached 1 879 BGN. The highest increase in wages and salaries was reported in ‘Education’ - by 19.7%, ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ - by 14.9%, in ‘Financial and insurance activities’ - by 12.6% and in ‘Human health and social work activities’ - by 11.0%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, GDP has a growth of 2.1% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter of the previous year.