Press releases

The net heat production from district heating systems in the country decreased by 7.1% to 25 699 terajoules in 2023 compared to the previous year

CHP units using non-renewable fuels had the largest share of net heat production from district heating systems - 75.8%, or 19 476 terajoules in 2023.

In 2023, the district heading losses increased by 3.5% to 6 880 terajoules compared to 2022.

District heating and cooling systems are systems that supply heat in the form of steam, hot water or chilled liquid through a network from a central production source to multiple buildings or industrial sites to heat or cool premises or processes. Currently, there are no district cooling systems in the country, data are published only for district heating systems.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Energy', District heating and cooling systems.

At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the number of job vacancies, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), data was 17.6 thousand, decreasing by 4.6% compared to the third 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'.

At the end of each year, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) of Bulgaria publishes a comprehensive set of main indicators that represent the demographic, social, and economic development of different regions in the country. The indicators cover various topics, including demographic statistics, labour market, health care, education, investment, non-financial enterprises, transport, research and development (R&D), information society, housing stock, and tourism.

The data is available for the period from 2019 to 2023 on the NSI website under the heading 'Regional Statistics'. For the previous years data can be downloaded from the INFOSTAT information system.

Household material welfare varies widely in the EU

 In 2023, the levels of actual individual consumption across EU countries varied between 70% and 136% of the EU-27_2020 average.

For Bulgaria, the per capita volume indices in PPS in 2023 increase compared to 2022 - for AIC from 69 to 70% and for GDP from 62 to 64%, compared to the EU-27_2020 average.

At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the number of employees under labour contract (according to the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on short-term business statistics on employment) in non-financial enterprises was 1.06 million by 0.2% higher than at the end of the third quarter of 2023.

In Industry (incl. Mining and quarrying, Manufacturing, Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Water collection, treatment and supply) the number of employees was 506.8 thousand, decreasing with 2.6% compared to the third quarter of 2023.

The number of employees in the Services of the business economy (except trade and financial and insurance activities) was 556.8 thousand, increasing with 2.8% compared with the same period of the previous year.

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes data about the number of employees under labour contract in the non-financial enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 with additional disaggregations by economic activities.

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

The National Statistical Institute has published data from the LFS module 2023 “Pension and labour market participation”, covering persons aged 50 to 74 years inclusive. The survey was jointly financed by the NSI and by the European Commission.

According to the module results, 79.1% of people aged 50 - 74 stopped working after retirement, 16.7% continued working and 4.2% were not working at the time of retirement.

Of the persons who continued to work after retirement, 62.8% worked for financial reasons, 31.3% because they enjoyed working, being productive, or being socially engaged, and 5.9% for other reasons.

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

In November 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.6% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in November 2024 compared to November 2023 was 2.1%.

In November 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (+1.4%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (+1.3%), ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+0.7%) and ‘Transport’ (+0.7%). The highest decrease in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Clothing and footwear’ (-1.3%) and ‘Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house’ (-0.4%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.3% and the annual inflation rate was 2.0%.

At the end of September 2024, the number of employees under labour contract and contract according to the Civil Servants Act reached 99.1 thousands. The employees in Central administration were 56.5 thousands (57.0%) and in Territorial administration - 42.6 thousands (43.0%).

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 3.9% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 25 432.8 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 7.1% and added up to 34 703.6 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the section ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (11.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (26.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (2.6%). The data are according to the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 70 946.7 million BGN in the period January - October 2024, 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 80 829.4 million BGN and increased by 0.2%.

In the period January - September 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 3.6% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 40 590.3 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 5.4% and amounted to 40 817.6 million BGN.

In September 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 5.0% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 350.9 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 1.7% and amounted to 4 528.8 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’ (30.5%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Food and live animals’ (16.7%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (70.9%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (13.0%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.