Press releases

In Bulgaria during 2023, 10 361 books and pamphlets were published, which is with 1 467 less than the previous year. The highest number was fiction for adults - 2 995 titles, followed by scientific literature - 2 136. The titles of translated publications were 2 688. More than half of them were translated from English (57.7%), followed by the editions from French - 8.4%, German - 5.9% and Russian - 5.9%. The highest number of books and pamphlets being published was in Sofia (stolitsa) district - 6 887, followed by Plovdiv (756) and Varna (625) districts.

In 2023, 180 newspapers were issued, of which 21 - daily newspapers, and compared to the previous year, their number decreased by 11 and 4. The highest number of newspapers issued was in Sofia (stolitsa) district - 45.6% of all editions. In 2023, were published 428 magazines and 47 bulletins, and in comparison with 2022, the number of magazines decreased by 14, and the number of bulletins also decreased by 14.

In May 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 808.3 thousand, or 4.6% above the registered in May 2023. The trips with other purposes formed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 41.0%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 40.4%, and with professional purposes - 18.6%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 992.4 thousand, or 6.6% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. Тhe predominant share of the visits was with other purposes - 47.9%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 38.1%, and with professional purposes - 14.0%.

Transit passes through the country were 35.4% (351.0 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

The total export price index during the first quarter of 2024 is 94.4%, which is a drop of 3.5 percentage points in the index compared to the same period of the previous year.

The total import price index for the reporting period is 97.6%, which is a 2.2 percentage points below the level of the index compared to the same period of 2023.

Preliminary data on export and import price indices for the fourth quarter of 2024 by sectors of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC, rev. 4) are published on NSI website under the heading ‘Exports and Imports price indices’.

The housing prices increased by 7.1% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous quarter (fourth quarter of 2023). The highest increase was recorded in Varna (+9.0%), followed by Sofia (+8.6%) and Stara Zagora (+5.2%). A decrease was registered in Ruse (-0.9%).

In the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, housing prices rose by 16.0%.

Detailed data are published on the NSI website under the heading 'Housing price statistics'.

In the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, the total hourly labour cost rose by 15.8% (preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 13.9% in industry, by 16.3% in services and by 19.3% in construction.

The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in ‘Other service activities’ - by 20.8%, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 20.6%, and ‘Construction’ - by 19.3%.

In 2023, price levels for household final consumption expenditure differed widely across the EU. The highest price levels were recorded in Denmark (143% of the EU average). The lowest levels were recorded in Bulgaria and Romania (both with 60%), according to the provisional estimates for 2023.

In 2023, actual individual consumption (AIC) per capita expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS) varied from 70% to 138% of the EU average across the 27 EU countries. In Bulgaria, the level was 26% below the EU average, according to the provisional estimates for 2023.

GDP per capita ranged from 64% to 239% of EU average. In 2023, GDP per capita in Bulgaria was 36% below the average for the EU-27.

The number of health establishments for hospital aid at the end of 2023 was 341 with 55 724 beds. The number of hospital beds was 864.5 per 100 000 persons of the total population.

The number of out-patient health establishments was 2 237 with 1 307 beds for short term treatment. The number of other health establishments was 149 with 1 742 beds in them.

On a basic contract in the health establishments in the country were practicing:

• 29 911 physicians;
• 7 607 dentists, as 6 583 of them worked in practices that had signed а contract with National Health Insurance Fund;
• 44 523 health care professionals and other medical specialists, as 28 570 of them are nurses and 3 253 midwives.

The number of physicians per 10 000 persons of the total population at the end of 2023 was 46.4 and the number of dentists per 10 000 persons of the total population was 11.8.

In May 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was -0.2% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in May 2024 compared to May 2023 was 2.3%.

In May 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest decrease was registered in the following groups: ‘Communications’ (-1.5%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (-1.0%), ‘Transport’ (-0.9%) and ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (-0.5%). The highest increase in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+1.0%), ‘Restaurants and hotels’ (+0.6%), ‘Clothing and footwear’ (+0.6%) and ‘Miscellaneous goods and services’ (+0.6%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.0% and the annual inflation rate was 2.7%.

Dear users, due to a technical issue with Information system ‘Foreign trade’ when computing the data for the period January - March 2024, it was necessary to update the information.

Thank you for your understanding and we would like to apologize for the inconvenience.

In the period January - March 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 11.7% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 12 909.6 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 6.7% and amounted to 13 908.0 million BGN.

In March 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 9.9% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 572.7 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 14.4% and amounted to 4 695.0 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’ (12.6%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (45.8%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (78.7%), while the most notable fall was reported in the sector ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (19.4%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.