Press releases

In the second quarter of 2023:

- The unemployment rate was 4.6%, or 0.1 percentage point higher in comparison with the second quarter of 2022;

- The employment rate of the population aged 15 - 64 increased by 0.3 percentage points in comparison with the same quarter of 2022 and reached 70.3%;

- The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 73.7%, increasing by 0.3 percentage points in comparison with the second quarter of 2022.

The data was from the Labour Force Survey - a sample statistical survey. It is carried out over a sample of non-institutional households. Quarterly, 19.6 thousand households, randomly selected, are observed.

In July 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.9% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in July 2023 compared to July 2022 was 8.5%.

In July 2023, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was recorded in the prices for Recreation and culture (+7.5%), Restaurants and hotels (+2.9%), Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (+1.8%) and Health (+0.7%). The decrease was registered for Clothing and footwear (-1.4%) and Miscellaneous goods and services (-0.1%).

In July 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 1.2% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in July 2023 compared to July 2022 was 7.8%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, GDP had a growth rate of 1.8% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

The producer price index in agriculture for the second quarter of 2023 decreased by 6.4% in comparison with the same quarter of 2022 as a result of a decrease in the price index of crop output by 19.5%, while the index of animal output increased by 14.8%.

Compared to the previous year, the prices of agricultural output decreased by 4.8%, as in crop output they decreased by 15.8% and in animal output they increased by 12.9%.

In crop output, in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same quarter of 2022, the highest drop was recorded in the prices of industrial crops by 32.1%. The trend also remained in comparison to 2022, with a decrease in industrial crops of 24.0%.

In animal output, in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same quarter of 2022, the prices of live animals increased by 19.6%, and animal product output increased by 9.3%. Compared to 2022, the increase was 18.8% and 6.0%, respectively.

The price index of products and services for current consumption in agriculture for the second quarter of 2023 was lower by 6.1% compared to the same quarter of the previous year and by 5.1% compared to 2022.

The biggest increase compared to the second quarter of 2022 was recorded in the prices of: seed and planting material - 18.0%, animal feedingstuffs - 9.2%, and veterinary expenses - 7.4%.

Compared to the previous year, the biggest increase was in the prices of: seed and planting material - 11.6%, animal feedingstuffs - 8.4%, and veterinary expenses - 6.8%.

According to data from the Household Budget Survey in the second quarter of 2023, the quarterly total income average per household member during the second quarter of 2023 is 2 668 BGN and increases by 20.9% compared to the same quarter of 2022.

The quarterly total expenditure average per household member during the second quarter of 2023 is 2 379 BGN and increases by 21.3% compared to the same quarter of 2022.

The consumption of most basic food products on average per household member during the second quarter of 2023 decreased compared to the same quarter of 2022. The biggest decrease is in bread and paste product consumption  - from 18.9 kg to 17.7 kg and yoghurt - from 7.4 kg to 6.8 kg.

More information on the household budget survey and its results could be found on the NSI website under the heading of Households Income and Expenditure and the Information System INFOSTAT.

The number of employees under labour contract at the end of June 2023 increased by 25.2 thousand, or 1.1%, as compared to the end of March 2023 and reached 2.33 million according to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).  The highest increase was observed in economic activities: ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 29.1%, ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’- by 3.8% and ‘Real estate activities’ - by 1.8%. The highest decrease of the number of employees by 1.6% was recorded in economic activity ‘Education’.

In the second quarter of 2023, in comparison with the first quarter of 2023, the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 4.0% and reached 1 957 BGN. The highest increase in wages and salaries was reported in ‘Construction’ - by 8.5%, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 8.3% and in ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ - by 7.5%.

For the period July 3rd - August 6th 2023 dead persons in Bulgaria are 8 956 and they are 1 154 less than during the same period in 2022. The data on deaths in Bulgaria for period (27th - 31st week) and by week are available at the following links:

Mortality | Infostat (infostat.nsi.bg)

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

In the period January - May 2023, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 4.6% compared to the same period of 2022 and amounted to 23 702.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 4.3% and reached 24 496.8 million BGN.

In May 2023, the exports to the EU decreased by 16.0% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 4 741.9 million BGN, while the imports dropped by 2.3% and amounted to 4 963.8 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU in the period January - May 2023 compared to the same period of 2022 was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (19.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (67.2%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (24.2%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (59.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 3.1% compared to the period January - June 2022 and amounted to 16 001.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 15.4% and added up to 19 452.2 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to the period January - June 2022 was recorded in the sections ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (68.7%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.9%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (36.3%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (21.5%) and ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (19.5%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.6%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 44 433.4 million BGN in the period January - June 2023, which is 3.1% 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 48 783.4 million BGN and dropped by 6.2%.

In June 2023, 3 232 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 138.4 thousand rooms and 310.1 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with June 2022, the accommodation establishments increased by 4.6% and the bed-places in them - by 5.1%.

The total number of nights spent was 3 337.9 thousand, or by 18.2% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 16.4% compared to the same month of 2022 and reached 975.5 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 229.2 million BGN, or by 28.2% more compared to June 2022.