Press releases

In February 2024, 2 177 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 62.2 thousand rooms and 128.4 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the accommodation establishments increased by 5.1% and the bed-places in them - by 3.5%.

The total number of nights spent was 1 181.9 thousand, or by 1.2% less in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 2.1% and reached 480.2 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 106.9 million BGN, or by 15.8% more compared to the same month of the previous year.

The Industrial Production Index in February 2024 remains unchanged compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decrease was seen in the mining and quarrying industry - by 9.8%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 0.8%, while an increase was registered  in the manufacturing - by 2.9%.

In comparison with February 2023, a decline of 8.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a drop in the Industrial Production Index was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 20.8%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 20.7%, and in the manufacturing - by 3.3%.

In February 2024, the index of production in the ‘Construction’ section increased by 1.4% compared to the previous month. An increase was seen in the production of specialised construction activities - by 2.6%, in the civil engineering - by 1.2%, and in the production of building construction - by 0.5%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The calendar-adjusted data showed an increase of 3.3% in the construction production compared to the same month of 2023. A rise was registered in the civil engineering - by 8.1%, and in the specialised construction activities - by 6.3%. In the building construction, a decrease of 2.0% was observed.

In February 2024, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Аn increase was observed in the food, beverages and tobacco, and in the non-food products (except fuel) - by 2.8% and 1.4%, respectively. A downgrade by 0.7% was registered in the automotive fuel.

The calendar-adjusted turnover rose by 3.2% compared to the same month in 2023.

Аn increase in turnover was registered in the food, beverages and tobacco - by 10.3%, and in the non-food products (except fuel) - by 3.7%, while in the automotive fuel in specialised stores, a drop by 14.0% was noted.

Since 2024 NSI has started publishing monthly Indices of production in services in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics. The purpose of the production index is to measure changes in the volume of output at monthly intervals.

Production indices in services are calculated by deflating the turnover indices for each activity with the corresponding producer price indices.

The total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 0.8% in January 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

During January 2024, the production index in Services of the business economy increased by 3.3% compared to the same month of 2023. The data are preliminary and calendar-adjusted.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.

In Janyary 2024, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 6.7 percentage points compared to October 2023.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, 69.6% of GDP was spent on individual consumption.

The relative share of gross fixed capital formation in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2023 is 20.6%.

The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.1%.

The unemployment rate was 4.2% (compared to 3.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022), the same for men and women.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 the total hourly labour cost rose by 11.7% (preliminary data).

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the house price index increased by 10.1% compared to the same quarter of 2022.

In February 2024, revenues of the subsector ‘Central Government’ were reported in the amount of BGN 3 206.73 million and expenditures - BGN 2 969.53 million, and for the subsector ‘Social Security Funds’, the revenues amounted to BGN 2 698.56 million, and the expenditures are BGN 2 604.75 million.

The data of the ‘Central Government’ subsector are formed on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the budget units, as well as estimates of the state enterprises reclassified in the subsector, and the data of the ‘Social Security Funds’ subsector - on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the National Insurance Institute and the National Health Insurance Fund.

The information is published on the basis of Article 3(2) of Directive 2011/85 of the EU.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Government Finance Statistics'.

In January 2024, compared to December 2023, an increase is reported for the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 33.3%, and motor gasoline - by 6.6%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 27.4%, transport diesel - by 14.5%, and electricity - by 1.3%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is not reported for the production of any of the products. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 48.8%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 42.9%, transport diesel - by 25.8%, electricity - by 16.1%, and motor gasoline - by 11.5%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

In January 2024, compared to December 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 36.8%, electricity - by 9.2%, transport diesel - by 8.4%, and natural gas - by 1.7%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 27.7%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 11.4%.

Compared to the same month of 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 14.2%, electricity - by 10.3%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 5.4%. A significant increase is observed in motor gasoline, due to reduced deliveries in January 2023, as currently reaches its usual levels. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 44.1%, and transport diesel - by 6.8%.

In March 2024, the total business climate indicator remains approximately to its February level. An increase of the indicator is observed in the retail trade and service sector, while in the industry and construction a reduction is registered.

The uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, insufficient demand and costs of materials continue to be the main factors limiting the business development in the sectors.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry fell by 0.6% in February 2024 compared to the previous month. Lower prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 7.1%. Increase was observed in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.1%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.4%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 1.5% in February 2024 compared to January 2024. The domestic prices went down in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 6.8%. In the mining and quarrying industry, the prices grew by 4.1%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 1.4%.

The Total Producer Price Index went down by 9.3% in February 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. There was a considerable decrease in prices in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 32.0%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 3.9%, while the manufacturing industry marked a rise of 0.4%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market fell by 12.1% compared to February 2023. A drop was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 29.5%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 4.6%, while prices in the manufacturing industry increased by 0.8%.