Press releases

In the first quarter of 2013, 550.3 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority part (84.4%) of them travelled only in the country, 12.9% - only abroad and 2.7% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2012 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over decreased by 12.3%, as a reduction was observed in the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled in the country - by 14.4%, while in the number of persons travelled abroad increased by 5.2%. The average expenditure per person for private trips both in the country and abroad decreased by 22.2% and 20.8% respectively. The average expenditure for professional trips per person in the country decreased by 3.4%, while abroad it increased by 72.6%.

Statistical surveys conducted by the National Statistical Institute provide information on activities of museums, theatres, libraries, community clubs, cinemas, radio and television programmes activities and film productions. Main indicators and coverage are designed in accordance with methodological requirements of UNESCO and Eurostat.

According to the preliminary data for the first quarter of 2013 the total turnover index in section “Transportation, storage and post” calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 2.8% as compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. In section „Information and communication” the turnover index grew by 3.3%.

The index of producer prices in agriculture increased by 17.5% in the first quarter of 2013 as compared to the same quarter 2012. Increases were registered in the crop production by 28.9% and in the livestock production by 6.0%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2013 was 6.4% above the index in the same quarter of 2012.

The total income average per household member during the first quarter of 2013 is 1 108 Levs or by 15.5% more compared to the same period of 2012.

The total expenditure per household member during the first quarter of 2013 is 1 023 Levs and it increases by 15.2% in relation to the same quarter of 2012.

The consumption of main food products average per capita doesn’t change significant during the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same quarter of 2012.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2013 is 0.4% compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2013 the employment rate of population aged 15 - 64 was 57.7%, or by 0.8 percentage points above the level registered during the first quarter of the 2012. For the same period the unemployment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points and in the first quarter of 2013 was 13.8%.

The consumer price index in April 2013 compared to March 2013 was 99.6%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.4%.

The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in Bulgaria at the end of 2012 was 754 with 29 601 places in them. The number of children new entrants in detached crèches and groups in kindergartens in 2012 was 29 216 or 164 children less than the children new entrants in 2011. 31 474 children were accommodated there at the end of the year.

In April 2013 the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 2.3 percentage points compared to its January level as for the urban population the increase is 2.0 percentage points and for the rural population - 2.5 percentage points.