Press releases

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 3.5% compared to the period January - November 2022 and amounted to 28 782.0 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 20.3% and added up to 35 707.8 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth was recorded in the sections ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (22.0%) and ‘Food and live animals’ (21.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (30.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (14.6%) and ‘Food and live animals’ (13.0%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (49.1%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 80 056.0 million BGN in the period January - November 2023, which is 7.1% less than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 89 054.9 million BGN and dropped by 10.5%.

In the period January - October 2023, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 8.2% compared to the same period of 2022 and amounted to 46 758.9 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 1.8% and reached 48 258.7 million BGN.

In October 2023, the exports to the EU decreased by 15.6% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 4 596.0 million BGN, while the imports fell by 2.3% and added up to 5 141.0 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same period of 2022 was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (13.2%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (66.4%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (15.2%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (64.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

NSI has published revised annual data on the Overall Energy Balance and Renewables for 2022 as a result of the completed regular procedure for verification and validation of data by Eurostat and the International Energy Agency. The revised data affect in the indicators of import of oil and oil products, primary energy production from renewables and biofuels, including solid biofuels, final energy consumption of renewables and biofuels, including solid biofuels in the Industry sector and in the relevant sub-sectors Non-metallic materials, Food, beverages and tobacco, Wood and wood products. The trends of an increase in the total energy supply and a decrease in the final energy consumption in the country remain unchanged.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Energy', Overall energy balance sheet.

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 3.2% in November 2023 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decrease was seen in the mining and quarrying industry - by 5.6%, in the manufacturing - by 2.7%, and in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 1.8%.

In comparison with November 2022, a decline of 10.9% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a drop in the Industrial Production Index was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 27.0%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 12.3%, and in the manufacturing - by 7.9%.

In November 2023, the index of production in the ‘Construction’ section decreased by 0.6% compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering fell by 1.5% and the production of building construction - by 0.1%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The calendar-adjusted data showed a decrease of 3.0% in construction production compared to the same month of 2022. A decrease was registered in civil engineering - by 6.7%, while no change was observed in building construction.

In November 2023, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.5% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

An increase was registered in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 2.4%, and in ‘Food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 1.2%, while in ‘Automotive fuel in specialised stores’ was observed а decrease - by 3.5%.  

The calendar-adjusted turnover grew by 3.2% compared to the same month in 2022.

A rise was observed in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ (9.0%) and in ‘Non-food products (except fuel)’ (1.7%). Decrease was registered in ‘Automotive fuel in specialised stores’ (3.0%).

In 2022, compared to the previous year 2021, a slight decrease in the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in the country is observed - by 0.35 percentage points, whereby it reaches 19.10%.

Compared to the total share of renewable energy, the sectoral shares show a minimal increase compared to 2021, as the largest increase is observed in renewable energy for heating and cooling - by 1.65 percentage points, reaching a share of 31.67%, followed by the renewable energy in fuel consumption in transport - by 0.06 percentage points, to 7.67%. Electricity produced from renewable sources decreases by 1.17 percentage points to 20.24%.

Detailed data on the Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption and sectoral shares are published on the NSI website under the heading 'Energy'.

In November 2023, revenues of the subsector ‘Central Govermnent’  were reported in the amount of BGN 5 438.21 million and expenditures – BGN 4 994.59 million, and for the subsector ‘Social Security Funds’ the revenues amounted  to BGN 2 535.94 million, and the expenditures are BG 2 399.95 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'.

For the period December 4th - December 31st, 2023, the number of dead persons in Bulgaria is 7 857 and they are 745 less than during the same period in 2022. The data on deaths in Bulgaria for the period (49th - 52nd week) and by week are available on the website of the National Statistical Institute at the following links:

Mortality | Infostat (infostat.nsi.bg)

Deaths in Bulgaria by weeks | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

In the third quarter of 2023, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.8% compared to the third quarter of 2022.

In October 2023, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 3.3 percentage points compared to July 2023.

During the third quarter of 2023, 66.9% of GDP was spent on individual consumption.

The relative share of gross fixed capital formation in GDP in the third quarter of 2023 is 16.9%.

The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.9%.

The unemployment rate was 4.0% (compared to 3.6% in the third quarter of 2022), 4.3% for men and 3.8% for women.

In the third quarter of 2023, compared to the third quarter of 2022 the total hourly labour cost rose by 15.1% (preliminary data).

In the third quarter of 2023, the house price index increased by 9.2% compared to the same quarter of 2022.