The National Statistical Institute of the Republic of Bulgaria (NSI) is a public body under the Council of Ministers with the status of a state agency. According to the Statistics Act, the statistics activity is carried out by the National Statistical System (NSS). The NSS is made up of National Statistical Institute (NSI), bodies of statistics and Bulgarian National Bank (BNB). The Bodies of statistics are state bodies or their structural units, which develop, produce and disseminate statistical information under the methodological guidance of the National Statistical Institute while implementing the National Statistical Programme (NSP).
NSI carries out statistical activity by conducting periodical and one-off surveys included in the NSP. The statistical activity covers developing of the methodology and planning of the statistical surveys, receiving, collecting, processing, storing of individual data and statistical information, analysing, providing and disseminating of statistical information.
The NSI coordinates the State’s statistical activity by cooperating with the bodies of statistics in drafting and implementing the NSP; ensuring methodological uniformity in the surveys; representing the National Statistical system in the European Statistical System before international organisations and keeping contacts with the national statistical offices of other countries; providing compliance of the methodology, contents and scope of the statistical surveys with the Eurostat requirements; coordinating at national level of all activities on development, production and dissemination of national and European statistical information; publishing and disseminating statistical information.
The NSI consists of a Head Office with headquarters in Sofia and six regional statistical offices. The regional statistical offices carry out the NSI functions and tasks on production and dissemination of statistical information at regional level.
The legal framework of the activities of the NSI are available to the general public on its website https://www.nsi.bg/en/content/2/basic-page/legal-basis . The most notable legal acts include the Statistics Act, the Strategy for the Development of the National Statistical System, the National Statistical Programme for the current year, the Rules of Procedure of the NSI, the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services and the relevant European legal framework, including the European Statistics Code of Practice
VISION, MISSION AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
The mission, vision and strategic objectives of the NSI are defined in the Strategy for the Development of the National Statistical System of the Republic of Bulgaria, 2021-2027. The Strategy is drafted by the NSI, in collaboration with the bodies of statistics and the Bulgarian National Bank, in pursuance of Art.7, sub-article 1, point 3 of the Statistics Act. According to the Strategy, the vision of the NSI is to guarantee modern and efficient work of the National Statistical System that provides high quality of the statistical information production and public trust in statistics by users and partners.
The NSS’s mission in the Republic of Bulgaria is to provide impartial, objective, timely and accurate information on the state and trends of changes in the economy, socio-cultural environment, demography and environment to accommodate the growing information needs of all user groups.
The official statistical information – product of NSS – is intended for analyses and scientific studies, planning, prognosis and making managerial decisions at micro and macro level. The statistical information products and services are directed to the:
- Bodies of state administration and local authorities;
- Business sector and non-government organizations;
- Scientific and academic society;
- Mass media;
- EC, UN, IMF and other international organizations;
- Individual citizens.
In achieving its strategic and operational goals and carrying out specific activities during the 2021-2027 period, the NSS will be steered by the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics of the UN and the European Statistics Code of Practice, as well as the following key principles, necessary for the implementation of the Strategy:
- reliability and high quality
- innovation
- adaptability to extraordinary needs
- willingness to cooperate
- sustainability of development
- proactivity.
STRATEGIC GOALS
The development of the National Statistical System during the 2021-2027 period pursues the following four strategic goals:
- Modern and effective National Statistical System
- High quality and confidence in official statistics
- Transition from statistics to value-added statistics
- Active cooperation with national and international partners
NSS produces statistical information in compliance with the best practices by using the available data sources, as well as the modern methods for collecting, processing and disseminating data. The official statistics is basis for the elaboration of all public policies both at national and European level, and ensures informed making of managerial decisions. Its role is of key importance for the growing information flow, including fake news.
The production of statistical information is impossible without the timely and quality providing with primary data by business, households and citizens. From the society’s perspective, an effective National Statistical system is a system, which produces useful and significant information for the management at micro- and macro-level at the least possible expenses. The core condition for the successful dissemination of the statistical information is its providing in comprehensible and accessible form.
The sustainable development of NSS is impossible without the existence of proper legal framework and functional medium. A more effective cooperation with Eurostat and the national statistical systems of the other Member States is an important condition for the full integration of our national statistics within ESS. The highly qualified and motivated human resources are key factor for implementation of the mission of NSS and the achievement of the strategic and operational goals of the development for the 2021-2027 period.
PRIORITIES
Key spheres in the implementation of the strategic goals are:
- Prosperity and living standards of the population
- Economic and social development
- Migration
- Environment and climate change
- Sustainable Development 2030
PLANS FOR FUTURE
Modernisation of the National Statistical System
- Securing and optimising resource management to increase the administrative capacity of the NSS.
- Improving the information infrastructure of the NSS and modernizing the organization and functioning of the NSI as a leading institution in the NSS
Modernization of the production process
- Extension of the integrated approach in managing the different phases of the production statistical process within the NSS
- Updating the methods for collecting, processing and disseminating statistical information
- Digitization and interoperability
Modernisation of the regulatory framework
- Updating the legal basis in compliance with the modern trends in social and economic development and increasing requirements to the timeliness of the statistical information
- Ensuring the independence of the official statistics
Quality, innovation and security
- Implementation of new approaches for the production of statistical information
- Security of information
Clear communication and cooperation with stakeholders
- Building sustainable communication with stakeholders
- Improving the statistical literacy of different stakeholder groups
Ensuring national, European and global statistical information needs
- Providing easy access to statistics for all
- Policy development and provision of conditions for spatial data management
Expanding national and international cooperation
- Strengthening partnerships within the European Statistical System
- Contributing to the achievement of the European standards by the statistical bodies in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries
- Active participation in determining the statistical priorities at a global and European level and in the work of UN, OECD and other international organizations and established structures in the field of statistics.
