Press releases

In the first quarter of 2025, the municipal authorities issued building permits for the construction of 2 084 residential buildings with 10 576 dwellings, 12 administrative buildings/offices and 1 080 other buildings.

Compared to the first quarter of 2024 the issued building permits for new residential buildings increase by 14.3%. The issued building permits for administrative buildings and other buildings have shown a decrease by 55.6% and 1.3%, respectively.

The construction of 1 431 residential buildings with 6 090 dwellings, 12 administrative buildings/offices and 576 other buildings has started.

As compared to the first quarter of 2024, the number of started new residential buildings increased by 3.0%, for administrative buildings - by 100.0%, and for other buildings - by 4.7%.

In April 2025, the total business climate indicator increases by 1.1 percentage points compared to the previous month. An improvement of the indicator is registered in the industry, while in the construction and service sector, a reduction is observed. Only in the retail trade, the indicator preserves its March level.

The main factors, limiting the activity of the enterprises remain the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, costs of materials and the competition in the branch.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry fell by 0.5% in March 2025 compared to the previous month. A decrease of 1.6% was registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, and in the manufacturing industry - by 0.5%. An increase was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 7.6%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 1.0% in March 2025 compared to February 2025. The domestic prices fell in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 2.6%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 0.3%, while in the mining and quarrying industry was reported an increase by 7.1%.

The Total Producer Price Index went up by 17.4% in March 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. An increase was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 53.1%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 32.4%, as well as in the manufacturing industry - by 10.7%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market grew by 22.0% compared to March 2024. The prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 59.9%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 26.9%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 11.3%.

In 2023, the total environmental tax revenue in Bulgaria amounted to 6 212.14 million BGN (a 22% decrease compared to 2022 when it was 8 009.31 million BGN). The value represented 3.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 11.2% of the total government revenues from taxes and social contributions in Bulgaria.

Energy taxes had the largest relative share of the total environmental tax revenues for 2023 - 92.1% (5 720.44 million BGN). The share of transport taxes from the total environmental tax revenues for 2023 was 6.9% (430.89 million BGN), and the share of taxes on pollution and resources had the smallest relative share - 1% (60.81 million BGN).

In 2023, most of the environmental taxes were paid by the corporations sector - 4 806.77 million BGN, or 77.4% of the country’s total revenues from environmental taxes. The largest share had the industry sector - 2 578.65 million BGN or 41.5% of the total revenues from environmental taxes. On second place was the services sector - 2 092.55 million BGN (33.7%), and on third the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector - 135.57 million BGN (2.2%).

The environmental taxes paid by households in 2023 amounted to 1 249.33 million BGN, or 20.1% of the total revenues from environmental taxes. The environmental taxes paid by the non-residents sector (‘Rest of the World’) amounted to 156.04 million BGN in 2023, or 2.5% of the total paid environmental taxes.

Detailed data on revenues from the four categories of environmental taxes (energy, transport, pollution and resource taxes), distributed by economic activities, households and non-residents, can be found on the website of NSI in the section Environmental taxes.

As of December 31, 2024, the population of Bulgaria was 6 437 360 persons. Compared to 2023, the country’s population had decreased by 8 121 persons, or by 0.13%. There were 53 727 children born in 2024, of which 53 428 (99.4%) - live-born. The number of live births decreased by 3 769 children, or 6.6% compared to the previous year. The number of deaths in 2024 was 100 736 and the crude mortality rate - 15.6‰. Compared to the previous year, the number of deaths had decreased by 270, or by 0.3%.

The number of minors and juveniles registered in the Child pedagogic rooms (CPRs) for anti-social acts and crimes committed in 2024 was 8 430. In comparison with 2023, their number decreased by 90 persons, or by 1.1%.

The number of minors and juveniles new entrants in the CPRs in 2024 was 2 699, and 2 594 persons were removed from the CPRs.

The minors and juveniles who passed through the CPRs for committed antisocial acts were 5 609, and for crimes - 4 835.

In March 2025, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 739.5 thousand, or 8.9% above the registered in March 2024. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 767.7 thousand, or 1.5% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. An increase by 4.5% was registered in the trips with holiday and recreation purposes and by 1.1% with other purposes, while those with professional purposes decreased by 4.7%. Transit passes through the country were 32.4% (248.9 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

In February 2025, compared to January 2025, an increase was reported in the production of liquefied petroleum gases - by 60.0%. A decrease was reported in the production of: transport diesel - by 11.9%, motor gasoline - by 10.7%, solid fuels - by 2.8%, and electricity - by 0.2%. There was no change in the production of natural gas.

Compared to February 2024 an increase was reported in the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 60.0%, and electricity - by 32.3%. The production of solid fuels significantly increased, due to the unusually low production in February 2024, as currently it reaches its usual levels. A decrease was reported in the production of: motor gasoline - by 16.4%, and transport diesel - by 2.5%.  There was no change in the production of natural gas.

In February 2025, compared to January 2025, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 21.7%, and natural gas - by 3.0%. A decrease was observed in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 2.4%, electricity - by 2.4%, and transport diesel - by 2.1%. There was no change in the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases.

Compared to February 2024, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: transport diesel - by 31.8%, natural gas - by 23.7%, electricity - by 21.3%, motor gasoline - by 12.0%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 5.6%. The deliveries of solid fuels significantly increased, due to the unusually low deliveries in February 2024, as currently they reach their usual levels.

In 2024, the average monthly poverty line for the country was 763.83 BGN per person. The number of persons who were below this line was 1 401.3 thousand, representing 21.7% of the population.

The general indicators of poverty assessment include subjective indicators related to material deprivation. They show the subjective assessment and personal attitude of the persons and households related to the possibility to meet individual needs. By 2020, nine questions related to the consumption of specific goods and services were used to assess the material deprivation of households. From 2021, a new indicator of severe material and social deprivation is included which shows the lack of necessary and desirable items for living a worthy life. It is calculated as the share of persons in the population who cannot afford 7 out of 13 items - 6 at the individual level and 7 at the household level. In 2024, 16.6% of the population live in severe material and social deprivation (limitations in 7 out of 13 items), or 1.4 percentage points less compared to 2023.

In relation to the goals set in key areas in strategy ‘Europe 2030’ a combined indicator for regular monitoring of countries’ progress in implementing the national targets is calculated using data from the Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). The indicator includes at-risk-of-poverty rate, severe material and social deprivation rate and rate of people living in households with low work intensity. The combining of the three indicators shows that in 2024 30.3% of the population, or 1 952.7 thousand persons, were at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion.

The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in the country as of 31.12.2024 was 839, with 33 480 places in them.

The number of children accommodated in crèches at the end of the year was 30 367. 15 635 of them were boys, and 14 732 - girls.

The total number of places in crèches per 100 children aged up to 3 years as of 31.12.2024 was 19.9, and the coverage of children brought up in crèches - 18.0 per 100 children aged up to 3 years.