Press releases

In June 2024, the total business climate indicator decreases by 0.9 percentage points in comparison with May, which is due to the unfavourable business climate in the retail trade and in the service sector.

The most serious difficulties for the activity of the enterprises in the sectors remain connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, costs of materials and insufficient demand.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry rose by 2.7% in May 2024 compared to the previous month and fell by 1.2% compared to May 2023.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 4.5% in May compared to April 2024 and went down by 4.3% compared to May 2023.

In April 2024, compared to March 2024, an increase is reported in the production of:  liquefied petroleum gases - by 37.5%, motor gasoline - by 12.5%, and transport diesel - by 3.4%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 41.1%, and electricity - by 3.4%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

Compared to April 2023, the production of liquefied petroleum gases, motor gasoline and transport diesel increased significantly, due to unusually low production during the same month of the previous year, and it currently reaches its usual levels. An increase is reported also in the production of electricity - by 4.3%. A decrease is reported only in the production of solid fuels – by 52.8%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

In April 2024, compared to March 2024, an increase is reported only in the deliveries of motor gasoline - by 19.4%. A decrease is reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 38.5%, natural gas - by 24.9%, transport diesel - by 19.5%, electricity - by 19.1%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 7.7%.

Compared to April 2023, an increase is reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 43.3%, and transport diesel - by 3.6%. A decrease is reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 42.9%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 20.0%, electricity - by 11.0%, and natural gas - by 3.3%.

From 2024, NSI started publishing quarterly Services Producer Price Indices by base year 2021=100 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

The total producer price index in Services of the business economy increased by 1.7% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous quarter and by 4.3% in comparison to the same quarter of 2023.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Short-term Business Statistics’.

In 2023, the government budget allocations for Research and Development (GBARD) amounted to 417.5 million BGN, which was 14.1% more than the previous year.

The distribution of the government budget allocations for R&D by socio-economic objectives shows that the largest is the share (48.5%) of the state support for research aimed at ‘General advancement of knowledge’, which mainly includes the research carried out by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and by the higher schools.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) by socio-economic objectives’.

The main causes of death among the entire population and in 2023 were diseases of the circulatory system. 61.1% of the deaths are caused by them. The mortality rate was 957.1 per 100 thousand of the population, with the intensity being higher among men - 964.3 per 100 thousand men against 950.4 per 100 thousand women.

In the second place in the structure of the causes of death among the entire population were neoplasms (16.5%), and in third place - diseases of the respiratory system (4.9%). COVID-19 is the underlying cause of death in only 1% of all deaths.

Detailed data from the survey are available to all users on the website of NSI in the section ‘Health’ – Deaths by causes and mortality by causes, as well as in IS Infostat.

According to final SBS data annual reports on their activity for 2022 were submitted at the National Statistical Institute by 394 135 non-financial enterprises. The number of persons employed in the non-financial enterprises was 2 165 657. The non-financial enterprises generated 276 452 072 thousand BGN of the production value and reported a turnover of 510 657 330 thousand BGN.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Non-financial Enterprises’.

Insurance Companies

In 2022, according to final data of NSI, 13 enterprises operated in the field of life insurance, and 31 in the "General insurance" sector, with the number of employed and self-employed persons in them being 1 095 and 4 801, respectively. Net turnover in life insurance amounted to 567 million BGN, and the gross incurred claims amounted to 295 million BGN. In the "General Insurance" sector, the net turnover reached 1 947 million BGN, and the gross claims - 1 394 million BGN.

Pension Companies and Pension Funds

According to the final data of the NSI, in 2022 there were 10 pension insurance companies operating, and the number of employed and self-employed persons in them was 1 090. The net turnover of these companies amounted to 218 million BGN, and the gross surplus from the main activity was in the amount of 106 million BGN.

In 2022, 50 pension funds operated in the country, with a net turnover of 2 240 million BGN, and the number of members – 4 922.

Specialized Investment Companies

In 2022, according to the final data of the NSI, 252 specialized investment enterprises were operating in Bulgaria, with 1 254 employed and self-employed persons in them and realized net turnover in the amount of 2 117 million BGN.

Credit Institutions

According to final data of NSI, in 2022, 25 credit institutions functioned. The value of output to 5 470 million BGN, and the number of employed and self-employed persons in them is 28 103.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ‘Financial Enterprises’.

During the period 2020 - 2022, 26.1% of the enterprises with 10 or more persons employed carried out an innovation activity. The innovation activity of the enterprises in the industrial sector (32.9%) was higher than of those in the services sector (19.6%). The largest share of innovation active enterprises was in the group of large enterprises (with 250 or more persons employed) - 72.3% in industry and 66.5% in services. 

In 2022, the turnover of innovation active enterprises constituted 51.9% of the turnover, and the persons employed - 51.8% of the persons employed in all enterprises. 

During the observation period, 15.0% of all enterprises realized product innovations (new or improved goods or services), while 17.8% implemented new or improved business processes.

Almost half (49.4%) of the enterprises with product innovations realized goods or services that were new not only to them but to the market as well, i.e. not previously offered by their competitors.

In May 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 808.3 thousand, or 4.6% above the registered in May 2023. The trips with other purposes formed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 41.0%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 40.4%, and with professional purposes - 18.6%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 992.4 thousand, or 6.6% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. Тhe predominant share of the visits was with other purposes - 47.9%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 38.1%, and with professional purposes - 14.0%.

Transit passes through the country were 35.4% (351.0 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.