Press releases

According to the results of the survey, in 2022:

- The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 73.6%, increasing by 1.6 percentage points in comparison with 2021.

- The employment rate of the population aged 15 - 64 increased by 2.3 percentage points in comparison with 2021 and reached 70.4%.

- The unemployment rate was 4.3%, or 1.0 percentage point lower in comparison with 2021.

The Labour Force Survey is a sample statistical survey. It is carried out over a sample of non-institutional households. Quarterly, 19.6 thousand households, randomly selected, are observed through a face-to-face interview.

In February 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.8% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in February 2023 compared to February 2022 was 16.0%.

In February 2023, compared to the previous month, the highest price increase was registered for Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+2.4%), Communications (+1.9%), Restaurants and hotels (+1.1%), Recreation and culture (1.1%) and Health (+1.0%). The largest decrease was recorded in the prices for Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-1.2%), Clothing and footwear (-1.2%) and Transport (-0.4%).

In February 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.7% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in February 2023 compared to February 2022 was 13.7%.

Тhe exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU increased by 35.6% compared to 2021 and amounted to 61 380.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 29.3% and reached 59 899.6 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to 2021 was recorded in sections ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (126.0%) and ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (116.9%). A fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (9.8%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (81.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports to the EU increased by 11.6% in December 2022 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 4 350.4 million BGN, while the imports grew by 9.0% and added up to 4 897.7 million BGN.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 24.4% compared to January 2022 and amounted to 2 634.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries grew by 0.8% and added up to 3 539.0 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to January 2022 was recorded in the sections ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (99.5%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (92.5%) (Annex, Table 4). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (30.2%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (391.0%) and ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (33.7%) (Annex, Table 4). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’^[1] (19.3%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 7 689.1 million BGN in January 2023, which is 22.8% more than the same month of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 8 178.7 million BGN and grew by 6.9%.

In January 2023, 2 066 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places, functioned in the country with 59.3 thousand rooms and 121.7 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with January 2022, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 21.4% and the bed-places in them - by 18.4%.

The total number of nights spent in all accommodation establishments in January 2023 was 1 032.4 thousand, or by 47.1% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

In January 2023, the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 50.6% compared to the same month of 2022 and reached 439.5 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent in January 2023 reached 77.6 million BGN or by 60.1% more compared to January 2022.

Тhe index of production in the ‘Construction’ section increased by 0.8% in January 2023 compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering rose by 1.0% and the production of building construction - by 0.8%.

Compared to January 2022, the index of production in construction went down by 0.4%. In civil engineering, a decrease of 3.1% was registered, while in building construction an increase of 1.6% was observed.

In January 2023, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 1.8% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth in turnover was reported in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 2.6% and in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 2.0%, while in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ was observed a decrease - by 0.2%.

The calendar adjusted turnover rose by 5.6% compared to the same month in 2022.

An increase was seen in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ (8.5%), in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ (8.1%) and in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ (0.2%).

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 3.0% in January 2023 compared to December 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month, a decline was reported in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.9%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 5.0% and in the manufacturing - by 1.9%.

In January 2023, a decrease of 4.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index in comparison with the same month in 2022.

Compared to January 2022, a drop was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 28.9% and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 18.5%, while an increase was seen in the manufacturing - by 4.0%.

According to the preliminary data, GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 2.1% in 2022 compared to 2021.

GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 according to the preliminary data.