Press releases

In July 2022 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices kept the level of the previous month.

A decrease of 3.5% was reported in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’.

An increase by 2.0 and 1.2% was registered in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ and ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’, respectively.

The calendar adjusted turnover decreased by 0.7% in July 2022 as compared to the same month of 2021.

A decline of 10.2% was observed in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’.

An increase of 5.0% was registered in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ and by 4.0% in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’

The Industrial Production Index increased by 0.9% in July 2022 compared to June 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

An increase compared to the previous month was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 12.7%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 3.9%, and a decrease in manufacturing - by 1.6%.

In July 2022, the calendar adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 17.7% in comparison with the same month of 2021.

Growth compared to July 2021 was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 51.7%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 17.9% and in manufacturing - by 12.1%.

In the second quarter of 2022, the National Statistical Institute continued conducting an additional survey to the Household Budget Survey in order to carry out quarterly monitoring of changes in the living conditions of households as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, under ‘Income and Living Conditions (ILC) - Statistical infrastructure under IESS - SILC 2022 module - 2021 and 2022 Infra-annual data collection’ project, which implementation is in accordance with Grant Agreement with the European Commission No. 101052273 - 2021-BG-ILC-SILC. For the study, 5 740 persons aged 16 and over from 3 053 households were surveyed.

The results of the additional survey can be viewed in the press releases under the heading "Income, expenditure and consumption of households".

GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 2.6% in the second quarter of 2022 compared to the second quarter of 2021, аccording to the preliminary data.

GDP per person employed is 10 946.5 BGN and GDP per hour worked is 27.4 BGN.

Тhe structure of employment by economic sector 2022 shows increase in the relative share of service sector and decrease in agriculture and industrial sectors in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the second quarter of 2021.

In the second quarter of 2022, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.0% and gross value added (GVA) by 4.5% compared to the second quarter of 2021 (data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted).

The increase in gross value added is determined by the growth in following economic activities:

Mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; water supply, waste management and remediation activities - 11.9%, Information and communication - 5.6%, Professional, scientific and technical activities; administrative and support service activities  - 5.2%, Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; transportation and storage; accommodation and food service activities - 4.7%, Financial and insurance activities - 3.9%, while in Construction is observed decline of 16.4% on an annual basis.

Regarding the components of the final use, the impact for the registered economic growth in the second quarter of 2022 is the final consumption with an increase of 5.2% on an annual basis. Exports of goods and services increased by 10.4% and imports of goods and services increased by 16.7% compared to the second quarter of 2021.

The foreign direct investments (FDI) in the non-financial sector as of 31.12.2021 amounted to 28 137 million euro at current prices (according to preliminary data).

In 2021 the largest volume of the foreign direct investments was made in Industry sector - 12 210 million euro. Next by FDI volume was Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) - 6 278 million euro.

In 2021, in the structure of FDI by economic activity an increase was observed in the investments made in Information and communication sector, as their relative share increased by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous year. At the same time, the relative share of FDI in Construction sector decreased by 0.7 percentage points in comparison with 2020.

According to preliminary data in 2021 the expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets in all sectors of the economy amounted to 23 048 million BGN at current prices.

The largest volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was in the sector of Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) - 5 908 million BGN, followed by Industry with 5 623 million BGN.

In 2021, in the structure of expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets by economic activity an increase was observed in the investments made in industrial sector, as their relative share increased by 1.2 percentage points compared to 2020 and a decrease in the Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) by 6.9 percentage points.

In 2021 the structure of expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets by kind was changed. The relative share of investments for buildings and construction equipment decreased by 9.8 percentage points compared to the previous year and reached 35.2%. At the same time the expenditure for machines and equipment increased by 2.7 percentage points, for the purchase of land - by 3.1 percentage points and for means of transport - by 2.3 percentage points which formed 28.6%, 9.6% and 14.0% of total investments of tangible fixed assets respectively.

412 119 were the non-financial enterprises in Bulgaria that submitted an annual report on their activity for 2021 at the National Statistical Institute (NSI), which was only 0.1% more compared to 2020. Their number of persons employed calculated in full-time equivalent (FTE) was 2 129 746 or by 1.8% more than the previous year (the data are preliminary).

The largest share of economically active non-financial enterprises in 2021 were in the service and trade sector (81.6%), which formed 62.4% of all persons employed. The share of non-financial enterprises in the ‘Industry’, ‘Construction’ and ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ sectors was 18.4% of all active enterprises in 2021, and the persons employed in them was 37.6% of all persons employed in the non-financial sector in full employment equivalent . The non-financial enterprises generated 214 408 million BGN of value of output at current prices and reported a positive financial result of 29 902 million BGN.

 At the NSI 18 624 enterprises in sector ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ submitted annual reports on their activity for 2021 or 4.5% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises. These enterprises employed 81 038 persons who generated value of output of 9 352 million BGN at current prices. A positive financial result of 2 200 million BGN was reported.

Annual reports on their activities for 2021 were submitted in NSI by 34 498 industrial enterprises or 8.4% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises at the NSI, as the largest share had sector ‘Manufacturing’ - 87.9%. The value of output at current prices, manufactured by industrial sector amounted to 88 057 million BGN, which formed 41.1% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. This sector employed 575 361 persons or 27.0% of the total number of persons employed in non-financial enterprises. The industrial enterprises finished 2021 with a positive financial result of 9 084 million BGN at current prices - the largest contribution had sector ‘Manufacturing’, which formed 56.8% of that result.

According to preliminary data at the NSI 22 693 construction enterprises submitted annual reports on their activity for 2021 or 5.5% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises. The largest share had the enterprises engaged in specialized construction activities - 51.7%. The construction enterprises employed 145 509 persons or 6.8% of the total number of persons employed in non-financial enterprises. In 2021 the construction sector generated value of output of 20 536 million BGN at current prices or 9.6% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. The construction sector finished 2021 with a positive financial result of 1 659 million BGN at current prices and ‘Specialized construction activities’ formed 34.9% of that result.

Annual reports on their activity for 2021 were submitted at the NSI by 137 565 trade enterprises or 33.4% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises. The largest share of all trade enterprises had ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ - 68.5%. According to preliminary data this sector engaged 486 743 persons or 22.9% of the total number of persons employed in non-financial enterprises. The trade sector generated value of output of 30 376 million BGN at current prices or 14.2% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. In 2021 the trade enterprises realized a positive financial result of 7 638 million BGN at current prices and ‘Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ formed 70.1% of that result.

At the NSI 198 739 enterprises in service sector submitted annual reports on their activity for 2021 or 48.2% of the total number of reported non-financial enterprises. This sector employed 841 095 persons or 39.5% of the total number of persons employed in non-financial enterprises. At current prices, in the service sector was generated value of output of 66 087 million BGN that formed 30.8% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. The service sector finished 2021 with a positive financial result of 9 321 million BGN and 25.9% of that result were realized by ‘Information and communication’.

At the National Statistical Institute, according to preliminary data, 45 licensed insurers, 10 pension companies and 28 supplementary pension funds managed by them, as well as 16 funds for making payments, 251 special investment purpose companies and 9 967 associations and foundations have submitted their annual reports for 2021.

Insurance companies

The insurance companies realised turnover^[1] of 3 290 million BGN in 2021, with the data coming from a total of 45 licensed insurers that submitted an annual report on their activity to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), with a balance value of assets as of 31.12.2021 of 8 590 million BGN.

In 2021, the insurance companies reported a positive financial result of their activity of 239 million BGN. In the life insurance sector, a profit of 52 million BGN was realised, while in the non-life insurance sector the profit reached 187 million BGN.

Pension Companies and Pension Funds

In 2021, 10 pension companies have been active, with a balance value of assets as of 31.12.2021 of 538 million BGN.

The operating income of pension companies for 2021 was 332 million BGN and the realised profit amounted to 73 million BGN.

For the reference year 2021, 28 supplementary pension funds have submitted annual reports for their activity at the NSI, as well as 16 funds for making payments. The balance value of assets of supplementary pension insurance funds as of 31.12.2021 was 19 618 million BGN and the investments reached 17 745 million BGN. The balance value of assets of pension payment funds as of 31.12.2021 was 13 million BGN, and the investments reached 3 million BGN.

As of 31.12.2021, the total number of insured persons in pension funds was 4 849 242 and the gross receipts from contributions were 2 042 million BGN.

Special Investment Purpose Companies

For the reference 2021, at the NSI, there were submitted 251 annual reports by special investment purpose companies, with a total balance value of their assets as of 31.12.2021 of 12 273 million BGN. Foreign assets received (securities and cash to customers) amounted to 7 493 million BGN.

The financial income of special investment purpose companies for 2021 at current prices totalled 1 628 million BGN and the financial result for the year was a profit of 266 million BGN.

Associations and Foundations

According to preliminary data, the number of associations and foundations that have submitted annual reports for 2021 at the NSI was 9 967. The balance value of their assets as of 31.12.2021 amounted to 1 417 million BGN.

The members of associations and foundations as of 31.12.2021 were 2 319 255, of which 190 450 were legal entities and 2 128 805 were individuals. The working volunteers were 48 151, as they worked a total of 1 876 384 hours.

The Total Producer Price Index increased by 3.8% in July 2022 compared to the previous month. Higher prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 19.3%, while lower prices were observed in the mining and quarrying industry by 14.1%, and in the manufacturing by 2.2%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 8.0% compared to June 2022. The domestic prices went up in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 20.1%. Prices fell in the mining and quarrying industry by 7.8%, and in the manufacturing by 0.8%.

The Total Producer Price Index rose by 42.5% in July 2022 compared to the same month of 2021. The prices went up in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 103.0%, and in the manufacturing by 25.3%. In the mining and quarrying industry, the prices decreased by 4.3%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market went up by 56.0% compared to July 2021. Prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 101.6%, in manufacturing by 31.4% and in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.7%.

In July 2022, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 731.7 thousand or by 19.4% above the registered in July 2021.

The trips with holiday and recreation purpose in July 2022 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 44.5%, followed by those with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) - 37.7%, and with professional purpose - 17.8%.

In July 2022, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 1 533.5 thousand or by 24.2% more in comparison with July 2021. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered. Transit passes through the country were 35.1% (538.5 thousand) of all visits of foreigners to Bulgaria.