Press releases

In March 2019, the total business climate indicator preserves approximately its February level as an improvement is registered only in retail trade.

In February 2019, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 396.6 thousand or by 4.5% above the registered in February 2018. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in February 2019 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 49.8%, followed by those with professional purpose - 27.3%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 22.9%.

In February 2019, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 483.0 thousand or by 5.6% more in comparison with February 2018. In February 2019, the predominant share of the visits with holiday and recreation purpose was 41.8%, followed by trips with other purposes - 38.5%, and with professional purpose - 19.7%.

Preliminary data of the NSI for the fourth quarter of 2018 indicate that the total hourly labour cost rose by 5.1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.

In 2018 the unemployment rate was 5.2% by 1.0 percentage point lower in comparison with 2017.

The employment rate for the age group 20 - 64 years achieved 72.4%, by 1.1 percentage points higher compared to 2017.

In 2018 the Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 9.1% compared to 2017 and amounted to 37 697.5 Million BGN while the imports from the EU increased by 5.5% and reached 39 903.8 Million BGN.

In December 2018 the exports to the EU grew by 6.6% in comparison with the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 2 681.0 Million BGN while the imports added up to 3 064.1 Million BGN and dropped by 6.7%.

In January 2019 the exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 7.5% compared to the same month of  2018 and amounted to 1 394.2 Million BGN while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 9.1% and added up to 1 994.3 Million BGN.

In January 2019 the total value of all exported goods to third countries and EU amounted to 4 558.3 Million BGN, which is 3.8% more than the same month of 2018, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and EU added up to 4 983.5 Million BGN and dropped by 1.5%.

In January 2019, 1 872 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places were functioned in the country. The total number of the rooms in them was 55.9 thousand and the bed-places were 113.6 thousand. In comparison with January 2018, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) decreased by 1.2%, while the bed-places in them remaining at the same level.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in January 2019 was 889.9 thousand, or by 2.2% less in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in January 2019 reached 51.1 million BGN or by 2.2% more compared to January 2018.

The consumer price index in February 2019 compared to January 2019 was 100.5%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.5%.

According to the preliminary data, in January 2019 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 1.5% above the level of the previous month. In January 2019 the working day adjusted index of production in construction increased by 0.9% in comparison with the same month of 2018.

According to the preliminary seasonally adjusted data in January 2019 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.4% compared to the previous month.