Press releases

In December 2022, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices kept the level of the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth in turnover was reported in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ by 1.3% and in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 1.1%, while in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ was observed a decrease by 0.6%.

The calendar adjusted turnover increased by 3.4% compared to the same month in 2021.

Growth was seen in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 15.8% and in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ by 4.4%. A decline was noted in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ by 2.7%.

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 0.8% in December 2022 compared to November 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month a decline was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 26.8% while growth was detected in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.0% and in the manufacturing - by 2.6%.

In December 2022 the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 2.1% in comparison with the same month in 2021.

Compared to November 2021 a growth was registered in manufacturing - by 10.8% and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 1.8%, while a drop was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 28.6%.

In January 2023, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 4.0 percentage points compared to October 2022, as for the urban population the increase is 4.9 percentage points and for the rural population - 1.8 percentage points.

According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute in the fourth quarter of 2022, the number of newly built residential buildings was 1 613, and the newly built dwellings in them were 5 708. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the buildings were by 392 more (or by 32.1%), and the newly built dwellings in them increased by 285, or by 5.3%.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, 78.9% of the newly built residential buildings had steel-concrete construction, 17.4% had solid structure, 3.4% had ‘other’ and 0.3% had a panel. The highest is the relative share of houses (81.3%), followed by blocks of flats (13.0%). As compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of newly built houses and mixed buildings rose, while the number of blocks of flats dropped.

The highest is the number of residential buildings built in the district of Sofia (stolitsa) - 296 residential buildings with 1 997 dwellings, followed by Plovdiv - 232 residential buildings with 517 dwellings, and Varna - 182 buildings with 742 dwellings in them.

The highest is the number of newly built dwellings with two rooms (35.5%), followed by the number of those with three rooms (34.8%), and the lowest is the number of dwellings with one room (4.8%).

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the total useful space of newly built dwellings was 631.5 thousand sq. m, or 19.0% more, compared to the same quarter of 2021, and the living floor space increased (by 18.7%) to 494.0 thousand sq. m.

The average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling increased from 97.8 sq. m in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 110.6 sq. m in the same quarter of 2022.

The biggest average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling was recorded in the districts of Silistra - 226.9 sq. m and Montana - 188.0 sq. m, and the smallest ones in Vratsa - 55.4 sq. m and Veliko Tarnovo - 78.9 sq. meters.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the municipal authorities issued building permits for the construction of 1 911 residential buildings with 10 203 dwellings, 18 administrative buildings/offices and 1 183 other buildings.

The issued building permits for new residential buildings and other buildings increased by 0.1% and 1.0% respectively as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. The issued building permits for administrative buildings have shown a drop of 45.5%.

The construction of 1 252 residential buildings with 6 627 dwellings, 14 administrative buildings/offices and 555 other buildings was started.

The number of started new residential buildings and other buildings decreased by 5.1% and 8.6% respectively as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. The number of started administrative buildings was unchanged.

In 2021 also, the two-child family model is the reproductive ideal of women aged 15 - 49 and men aged 15 - 59 in our country (63.3%). In second place in the distribution is the opinion that the family should have three children (17.1%), followed by the family with one child (7.9%). In 2021, 9.4% of persons of reproductive age cannot estimate how many children a family should have in Bulgaria. The multi-child model of a family with four or more children is a priority for 2.0% of people.

To some extent, people's attitudes echo their ideal of family. Leading is the desire for two children in the family (61.9%), followed by the preference for three children (14.9%). The one-child family model is desired by 12% of individuals, and the multi-child family model, with four or more children, by 2.3%. 7.9% of people of reproductive age do not yet know how many children they would like to have, and 1.0% are categorical that they do not wish to have children.

People's reproductive ideals and intentions very often differ from the actual number of children in families. Analyzing the three indicators only for persons over the age of 45, for whom reproduction has conditionally ended, we can draw the following conclusions:

• the share of persons without children is extremely large (17.8%) compared to those who have this ideal (0.1%) or prefer this family model (1.4%);
• the share of persons who remain with one child (31.9%) is significantly higher compared to the ideal of a one-child family (6.9%) and those who wish to have one child (13.5%);
• the ideal (64.7%) and desire (64.3%) for two children in the family are not actually realized. 44.4% of persons over 45 years of age have two children;
• three children is an ideal for 17.1%, reproductive intentions for 13.9%, but it is actually realized by a much smaller share of persons at the end of their reproductive period, only 4.7%.

In November 2022, compared to October 2022, an increase is reported for the production of: electricity - by 31.1%, and solid fuels - by 9.3%. A decrease is reported for the production of: unleaded motor gasoline - by 13.0%, and transport diesel - by 6.4%. No change for the production of liquefied petroleum gases and natural gas.

In November 2022, compared to the same month of the previous year, during which planned repairs of production installations were carried out, the production of liquefied petroleum gases, unleaded motor gasoline and transport diesel increased significantly. A decrease is reported for the production of: natural gas - by 50.0%, electricity - by 5.0%, and solid fuels - by 4.2%.

In November 2022, compared to October 2022, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 56.3%, electricity - by 12.1%, and solid fuels - by 10.6%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 10.9%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 9.5%, and transport diesel - by 6.0%.

In November 2022, compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: transport diesel - by 28.1%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 2.5%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 21.6%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 19.1%, solid fuels - by 6.3%, and electricity - by 3.7%.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry increased by 3.4% in December 2022 compared to the previous month. Higher prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 14.3%, and in the mining and quarrying industry by 0.9%. The prices fell in the manufacturing by 2.1%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 6.0% in December 2022 compared to the previous month. The domestic prices went up in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 15.0%, and in the mining and quarrying industry by 3.7%. The prices decreased in the manufacturing by 2.2%.

The Total Producer Price Index rose by 23.2% in December 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. Significant growth was seen in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 39.3%, in the manufacturing by 16.1%, and in the mining and quarrying industry by 3.7%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market went up by 28.5% compared to December 2021. Prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 37.6%, in manufacturing by 21.1% and in the mining and quarrying industry by 11.5%.

In January 2023, the total business climate indicator preserves approximately its December 2022 level. An increase of the indicator is registered in industry and retail trade, while in construction and service sector is observed a reduction.

The uncertain economic environment continue to be the main factor limiting the activity in all sectors.

In December 2022, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 604.7 thousand or 9.7% above the registered in December 2021.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) in December 2022 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 45.3%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purpose - 32.5%, and with professional purpose - 22.2%.

In December 2022, the number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 761.9 thousand, or 60.3% more in comparison with December 2021. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered. Transit passes through the country were 37.8% (287.6 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.