Press releases

In 2022, Bulgaria spent 30 391.7 million BGN for social protection benefits. In order to finance social protection in the country, 16 159.0 million BGN were allocated from the state budget, while the receipts of social protection contributions amounted to 17 121.0 million BGN.

In 2022, the social protection benefits by functions are:

‘Sickness/Healthcare’ - 8 304.8 million BGN;
‘Disability’ - 2 828.5 million BGN;
‘Old age’ - 13 635.1 million BGN;
‘Survivors’ - 1 664.8 million BGN;
‘Family/Children’ - 2 666.7 million BGN;
‘Unemployment’ - 875.9 million BGN;
‘Housing’ - 0.59 million BGN;
‘Social exclusion n.e.c.’ - 415.4 million BGN.

The ‘Old age’ function with its major component ‘expenditures for pensions’ had the highest share (44.9%) of the total expenditure. The ‘Sickness/Healthcare’ and ‘Disability’ functions also had a significant share of the total expenditure - 27.3% and 9.3% respectively.

More information and data on receipts and expenditure for social protection can be found on the website of NSI, section ‘Social protection’ and on the Information System ‘Infostat’.

In August 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.1% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in August 2024 compared to August 2023 was 2.1%.

In August 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (+0.9%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (+0.5%) and ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+0.3%). The highest decrease in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Clothing and footwear’ (-3.3%) and ‘Transport’ (-0.9%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.1% and the annual inflation rate was 2.4%.

Тhe exported goods amounted to 86 903.6 million BGN or 6.5% less than in 2022. The imported goods were for 97 073.0 million BGN, which is 10.0% less than the previous year.

The largest growth in the exports of goods compared to 2022 was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (18.0%). The biggest fall was observed in section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (49.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods was registered in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (14.9%) while the biggest fall was observed in section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (45.1%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

In July 2024, 3 698 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 147.9 thousand rooms and 339.4 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number of accommodation establishments and the bed-places in them remain at the same level.

The total number of nights spent was 5.9 million, or by 2.4% more in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 0.7% and reached 1.5 million.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 524.6 million BGN, or by 15.4% more compared to the same month of the previous year.

At the end of the second quarter of 2024, the number of job vacancies, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), data were 18.7 thousand, increasing by 5.2% compared to the second quarter of 2023. The job vacancy rate (the proportion of number of job vacancies to the total sum of number of occupied posts and number of vacancies) was 0.8%.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 1.9% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 17 702.0 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 8.3% and added up to 24 045.0 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the sections ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (11.8%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (35.3%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (34.7%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (10.7%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 49 684.6 million BGN in the period January - July 2024, which is 2.9% 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 56 408.7 million BGN and grew by 0.3%.

In the period January - June 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 5.0% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 26 929.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 5.5% and amounted to 27 678.2 million BGN.

In June 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 0.3% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 714.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 8.7% and amounted to 4 428.4 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same month of 2023 was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (43.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (20.6%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (59.8%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (14.5%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

From July 2024, NSI started publishing Industrial Production Indices by base year 2021 = 100 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

The Industrial Production Index increased by 0.6% in July 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

In July 2024, compared to the previous month, an increase was seen in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 26.3%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 7.6%, while a decrease was registered in the manufacturing - by 0.8%.

In comparison with July 2023, a decrease of 2.5% was reported in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a drop of the Industrial Production Index was observed in the manufacturing - by 3.6%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 1.7%, while an increase was registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 12.4%.

From July 2024, NSI started publishing Construction Production Indices by base year 2021 = 100 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

In July 2024, the production index in the ‘Construction’ section decreased by 0.1% compared to the previous month. A decrease was seen in the production of civil engineering - by 1.0%, and in the production of building construction - by 0.1%. An increase was observed in the specialized construction activities - by 0.6%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The calendar-adjusted data showed an increase of 2.5% in the construction production compared to the same month of 2023. Specialized construction activities rose by 6.8%, and civil engineering - by 3.6%. Production of building construction decreased by 1.8%.

In the second quarter of 2024, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.1% compared to the second quarter of 2023 and there was an increase of 0.5% compared to the first quarter of 2024 at seasonally adjusted data.