Press releases

In March 2016 compared to February 2016 a decrease is reported for the production of solid fuels - by 32.5%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 77.8%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 83.0%, transport diesel - by 66.2%, and electricity - by 3.8%. No change is reported for the production of natural gas. The significant decrease observed in the production of petroleum products in March 2016 is due to planned repair of production capacities.

In March 2016 compared to February 2016 an increase is reported for the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases - by 33.3%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 20.0%, transport diesel - by 43.0%, and electricity - by 1.0%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the deliveries of solid fuels - by 31.5%, and natural gas - by 2.6%.

In May 2016 the total business climate indicator increases by 5.0 percentage points in comparison with the previous month which is due to the improved business climate in all observed sectors - industry, construction, retail trade and service sector.

Total Producer Price Index in April 2016 decreased by 0.4% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2015 the prices went down by 5.2%. Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in April 2016 declined by 0.4% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2015 the domestic prices fell by 4.1%. 

According to preliminary data during the first quarter of 2016 in comparison with the same period of 2015 there was a decrease in the transported goods - by 13.0%, while the transport performance from the freight land and water transport increased by 11.8%.

Compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year the number of transported passengers by passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) rose by 1.1%. The transport performance also registered a 14.3% growth compared to first quarter of 2015.

In April 2016, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 466.3 thousand or by 26.2% above the registered in April 2015. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in April 2016 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 46.0%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 29.4%, and with professional purpose - 24.6%.

In April 2016, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 558.1 thousand or by 11.1% above the level of April 2015. An increase was registered in the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - by 41.5%, and with professional purpose - by 29.7%, while the trips with other purposes decreased by 16.1%. 

According to the preliminary data for the first quarter of 2016 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 5.0% compared to the fourth quarter of 2015, while in section ‘Information and communication’ - by 0.3%.

In the first quarter of 2016, 550.2 thousands Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (83.5%) of them travelled only within the country, 14.0% - only abroad and 2.5% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2015 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over decreased by 4.8%, as a reduction was observed in the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled in the country - by 5.0% as well as in the number of persons travelled abroad by 3.5%. 

The producer price index in agriculture in the first quarter of 2016 decreased by 5.0% in comparison with the same quarter of 2015. The crop output index decreased by 1.8% and the animal output index - by 7.5%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went down by 3.6 %. The crop output index decreased by 3.6% and the animal output index - by 3.5%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2016 was 0.1% below the level in the same quarter of previous year and by 3.3% compared to 2015.

In the first quarter of 2016 the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 66.5% and the unemployment rate was 8.6%.