- Theory and Methodology of the Statistical Surveys
- Statistical surveys and analysis
- The Bulgarian statistics in three centuries
- Information, reviews, consultations
The section Theory and methodology of statistical surveys incudes the article:
- Development and improvement of the Consumer prices indices in the republic of Bulgaria in the period 1990 - 2018 - author Albena Dancheva, National Statistical Institute - Sofia
Statistical observation of consumer prices in the Republic of Bulgaria started in May 1990. On this basis begun the calculation and publication of the Consumer Price Indices (CPI).
In its 28-year history, the CPI has constantly evolved and perfected. Since June 1990, when the CPI is first produced and published, a process of implementation of established international statistical standards is underway both in the construction and production of consumer price indices. This is a continuous process whose main objective is to improve the quality, timeliness and reliability of statistical information on consumer price indices.
In the period 1990-1997, a number of improvements were made in CPI calculations based on the need, in the period of transition to market economy, for consumer price statistics in order to provide adequate assessments of their dynamics, in line with international statistical practice and statistical theory.
From 1998 until the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union (EU) in 2007 NSI's efforts were aimed at harmonizing of the construction and production of consumer price indices with EU legislation. As a result of the phased harmonization process from January 2007, the NSI produces a harmonized Consumer Price Index (HICP) which fully complies with the requirements of the European regulations on consumer price indices. The National CPI has also been refined in a number of aspects, which has improved the quality of inflation measurement in the country.
Since 2007, as a member of the European Statistical System, the NSI has been involved in the development and application of a uniform methodology of statistical surveys in the field of consumer prices, which ensures quality, comparability and compatibility of the results obtained. The improvement of consumer price indices was mainly focused on the introduction of newly adopted EU regulations in the field and on improvement of the quality of the indices produced.
The section Statistical surveys and analysis includes the articles:
- Microdata. Metadata- author Dr. Boyan Zahariev, Open Society Institute
The article discusses how data from the NSI and EUROSTAT are used and understood by different users - media, analysts and researchers and the general public. Using examples from the statistics of incomes and living conditions the analysis highlights the importance of metadata and especially the definitions of indicators not only for the understanding of statistics but also for the way in which society and the economy as a whole are seen and conceptualized.
Keywords: Household Data, Microdata, Metadata, Simulation Modelling.
- The influence of the prices of feeding products on poverty in Bulgaria in 2011- author Rasim Roustem, National Statistical Institute - Sofia
Both in global as well as in regional aspect, people living in different geographic regions face different prices. These price differences can have a serious impact on incomes of individuals and households in which they live. This article discusses the impact of prices on the purchasing power of household incomes.
Indices similar to PPS will be built using data from HBS, but at a local level (for Bulgaria), with which household incomes will be adjusted. The first part of the article focuses on the building of price indices, while the second part discusses how these indices can be used.
The final objective is to check whether price differences at district level have a direct impact on poverty in the area concerned or in the municipalities that form it.
The section The Bulgarian statistics in three centuries includes the article:
- Academician prof. Doctor Ivan Stefanov - Bulgarian scientist statistician, financier, demographer, economist, pedagogue and public figure - author Prof. Nadezhda Nikolova, South-West University ‘Neofit Rilski’
This article focuses on the personality of Academician Ivan Stefanov as a scientist - mainly a statistician, as well as a demographer, financier and generally a distinguished researcher. His public-political activity is no less great, but in the article, it is mostly marked in general terms. Academic Stefanov's entire academic research is distinguished with an in-depth and competent research approach, insightful analyses, reasoned assessments, and thorough logical thought that reveals the links between statistical practice and statistical theory and methodology.
Briefly reviewed is his rich life path, combined with research and pedagogical activity. Outlined were the main creative moments: Ph.D. Study in Germany, accumulation of expertise in the Directorate General of Statistics, participation in the periodical press with scientific papers, surveys and analyses on topical issues of economic and social life (1927 - 1935). Strong creative results marks the period 1937 - 1946. The contribution of Academician Stefanov for the development of statistical studies in Bulgaria and the formation of statistics as a science together with a number of Bulgarian scientists-statisticians was emphasized. The scientific heritage of one of the classics of the Bulgarian Statistical School is presented, and the article provides a list of fundamental scientific papers by Academician Stefanov.
In the section Information, reviews, consultations is presented the information:
- Conference ‘Better cooperation, better data quality’ for users of European statistical information in Bulgaria together with the NSI and Eurostat was held in Sofia - author Antoaneta Ilkova, National Statistical Institute - Sofia - author Antoaneta Ilkova, National Statistical Institute - Sofia
The National Statistical Institute, together with Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, hosted a Conference for users of European Statistics in Bulgaria on ‘Better Cooperation, Better Quality Data’, which took place on 25 June 2018 in Hilton Hotel, Sofia.
The event was held within the framework of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and on the 138th anniversary of the establishment of the statistical institution in Bulgaria.
At the initiative of Eurostat, such conferences are held twice a year - in each country taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The conference is a forum where the producers and users of statistical information met and had the opportunity to exchange ideas and present good practices as well as share their requirements and expectations regarding the statistical data provided. The statistical products and services to which consumers have free, unrestricted access through the Eurostat website, the activities of the Bulgarian Consumer Support Centre for European Statistics and the results achieved in the field of cooperation between the two institutions in the preparation of consumer oriented products and services were presented.
The conference was officially opened by President of the NSI Sergey Tsvetarsky, Director General of Eurostat Mariana Kotzeva and Mr. Oleg Petkov - Deputy Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council 2018.
The winners of the national round of the European Statistical Competition for Students' 2018, in which participated 528 pupils in 195 teams from all over Bulgaria were awarded at the forum.
During the first session of the conference ‘Official statistical data - objective for reality’, Georg Georgiev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antoaneta Ilkova and Arslan Ahmedov from the NSI and Lilyana Bancheva from the Bulgarian National Bank, made presentations.
In the second session dedicated to ‘The Benefit of European Statistics for the Preparation of Analyses, Decision Making and Monitoring - Good Practices’, participated Sergi Sergiev, Director of the Data Science Society, Boyan Zahariev, Program Director of the Open Society Institute, Angelina Ivanova, lecturer in mathematical linguistics, Yavor Aleksiev, founder and editor-in-chief of Infograf, Ch. Dr. Stoyanka Cherkezova from IINC to BAS and Mihaela Maleeva, Executive Director of the Association of Communication Specialists in the Municipalities.
- Web scraping - a source of price information participation in the calculation of consumer prices index - author Desislava Zaharieva, National Statistical Institute - Sofia
In recent years the Internet has become an essential part of people's lives and a way of communication between individual institutions, governments, companies and the population. An increasing number of retailers take advantage of the opportunity to offer their goods online. Taking into account the rapid growth of technology, national statistical institutes are looking for new ways of gathering information for statistical surveys. In their quest for innovation and the use of existing data sources, some of the national statistical offices, including the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, supported by Eurostat through project funding, are drawn to the web scraping technique to obtain information from the Internet.
Presented in brief are the steps that the Consumer Prices, Housing prices and PPP Department has made in using web scraping technique to obtain information from the Internet on the prices involved in calculating consumer price indices. The advantages and disadvantages of the automatic collection of prices, as well as the conclusions made by the department's experts, are outlined.
- Population census in Bulgaria at the end of XIX century - author Sonia Zlatanova, National Statistical Institute - Sofia
On 1 January 1881, the first population census of the Principality of Bulgaria took place. This survey marks the beginning of demographic statistics. The census is regulated by Decree No 716 of 13 December 1880 of Prince Alexander I Battenberg. The aim is to establish the number of people present in the country. The first population censuses are related to the status of the Bulgarian state - according to the Berlin Treaty of July 13, 1878, the Principality of Bulgaria and the autonomous province of East Rumelia were formed. On January 1, 1885, a census began in Eastern Rumelia. On January 1, 1888, the first census took place after the Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. In the census on January 1, 1893, the statistical survey marks a new substantial advance. Not only the population, dwellings (inhabited and uninhabited) were counted, but a census of farm animals was made as well.
As a natural result of the rapid development of the Bulgarian statistics, the application of its own and international experience is the Census Act, adopted on 10 November 1897 by the 9th Ordinary National Assembly. The law was developed by the Directorate of Statistics and it ordered a census in 1900. On December 31, 1900, began the next census, which was the first one since the adoption of the Census Act of 1897. The conducted census is in good order and is well organized according to the recommendations of the International Statistical Institute. The methodology and program of this census corresponds to the level of the most advanced countries at that time.
The publications with the results of the population census in the period 1881 - 1900 present statistical information with parallel text in French and are available in the NSI’s digital library.
‘P. Volov’ № 2 Str., Sofia 1038.
