Press releases

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, the construction production in November 2009 was 21.9% less compared to the same month of the previous year.

The preliminary data showed that the Industrial Production Index decreased by 10.8% in November 2009 as compared to November 2008, as compared to the previous month the production increased by 1.2%. Industrial Turnover Index decreased by 13.2% compared to November 2008, as compared to the previous month the turnover increased by 0.7%.

Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in November 2009 rose 0.3% compared to the previous month, while compared to the same month of 2008 the domestic prices fell by 5.3%. Total Producer Price Index in Industry in November 2009 increased by 0.5% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2008 the prices fell by 5.9%.

In December 2009 the total business climate indicator decreases by 2.3 percentage points in comparison with the previous month mostly due to the business climate worsening in industry and services. Such a development was also observed in December 2008.

In November 2009, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents in abroad was 295.7 thousand, which was 21.8% less than the number of the trips in November 2008. In November 2009, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 338.7 thousand or 8.9% less than the number of trips in the same month of 2008.

The goods carried by the railway transport in November 2009 are by 11.3 % less than in the previous month, while as to the same month of 2008 there is a decrease by 28.6 %. In the passenger traffic, the total number of passengers carried decreases by 8.6% compared to the previous month and in comparison with November 2008 - by 7.1%.

Preliminary data for third quarter of 2009 indicated that total hourly labour cost rose by 11.0% compared to the third quarter of 2008.

ICT penetration in the households has been increased vastly in the last few years and the survey results confirm the fact that the internet services become popular and preferable by more and more households in the country.

Data on ICT usage in enterprises survey show the widely use of Internet by the business. The growth rate observed for the period 2004 - 2009 is 22.1 percentage points and in 2009 reaches 83.9%. Broadband penetration is increasing faster during the last 6 years (41.2%) and 69.6% of the enterprises have broadband connection to the Internet during 2009.