Press releases

In the fourth quarter of 2010, the municipal authorities have issued building permits for construction of 1 152 residential buildings with 2 705 dwellings, of 52 administrative buildings/offices and 1 108 other buildings. The construction of 611 residential buildings with 2 286 dwellings, of 24 administrative buildings/offices and 472 other buildings has been started.

In the fourth quarter of 2010 the employment rate of population aged 15 - 64 recorded a fall by 2.2 percentage points compared to the respective quarter of 2009 and stood at 59.0%. For the same period the unemployment rate went up by 3.3 percentage points to 11.2%.

In the fourth quarter of 2010, 2 117 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed places were functioned in the country.
The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments in the fourth quarter of 2010 was 1 616.9 thousand and rose by 107.7 thousand (7.1%) compared to same period of 2009.

The index of producer prices in agriculture increases by 27.2% in the fourth quarter of 2010 as compared to the same quarter 2009. Increases were registered in the crop production by 32.6%, and in the livestock – by 10.9% compared with the corresponding quarter of previous year.

The index of prices of means of production used in agriculture in the fourth quarter of 2010 is 3.8% above the same quarter of 2009.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2010 is 1.7%, compared with the fourth quarter of the year and 2.1%, compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the preliminary data of the NSI, the consumer price index (CPI) in January 2011 compared to December 2010 was 100.6%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.6%.
According to the preliminary data of the NSI, the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) in January 2011 compared to December 2010 was 100.5%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.5%.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of December 2010 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 2.3% as compared to the end of September 2010 and reached to 2.15 millions. In fourth quarter of 2010 in comparison with the third quarter of 2010 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 4.9% getting 669 levs.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, in the fourth quarter of 2010 the newly built residential buildings were 671 and compared to the respectively quarter of 2009 decreased by 27.0%. The newly built dwellings in them decreased by 29.6% and their number was 4 125.

In 2010 the Bulgarian exports to third countries increased by 48. 5% compared to the previous year and amounted to 11.9 billion levs while the imports increased by 17.1% and reached to 15.5 billion levs.
In 2010 the total value of the exported goods was 30.4 billion levs and compared to 2009 the exports increased by 33% while the total value of the imported goods was 37.4 billion levs and increased by 13.3%.

In the period January - November 2010 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 23.8% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to 17 billion levs while the imports increased by 9.9% and amounted to 19.9 billion levs.
In November 2010 the exports to the EU increased by 27% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and reached to 1.7 billion levs while the imports increased by 36.9% and amounted to 2.3 billion levs.