National Statistical Institute

According to preliminary estimates, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2015 exceeded BGN 17 B, amounting to BGN 2395 per capita.

Thus, GDP increased by 2 % in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same quarter last year and recorded a growth of 0.9 % compared to the last quarter of 2014.

In 2014 Bulgaria's spending on research and development stood at BGN 206.6 M, up by 3.1% from 2013, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

The increase in absolute terms in R&D expenditure on an annual basis did not affect its relative share of the GDP.

According to the latest figures of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), which were released on Monday, Bulgarians completed more than 483 000 trips abroad in May.

This represented an increase of 13.1 % compared to the same month last year, with Bulgarians completing more trips to Hungary, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Spain and Germany.

Subsidized job creation is costly and inefficient, according to a survey of Bulgaria's Ministry of Labor and Social Policy on the impact of the government money spent on boosting employment rates.

In the period 2003-2011, Bulgaria spent BGN 1.461 B to increase employment by 2.3% on average, or by slightly over 52 000 people.

The turnover from illegal activities as drugs production and placement, alcohol and cigarettes smuggling, and prostitution is at BGN 225 M (EUR 112.5 M), the head of Bulgaria's statistics office has said.

Sergey Tsvetarski, who chairs the National Statistical Institute (NSI), told the Bulgarian News Agency BTA in an interview that the figures reflected previous flash estimates.

Bulgaria is among the leaders when it comes to increase in labor costs. The country has marked a 6,9% increase in the first three months of 2015 as compared to the same period of 2014.

The data has been released in the preliminary data provided by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (NSI).

The minimal pension for people who have completed the requiorements for age and years of labor will be BGN 157.44 starting July 1. Meanwhile, the minimum pension for people with less years of employment will be slightly lower - BGN 133.82.

The information has been revealed in accordance with the calculations of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

According to the latest figures of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) on the index of consumer prices, which were released on Monday, deflation returned to Bulgaria in May.

The monthly inflation stood at negative 0.2 % in May, the inflation since the beginning of the year was 0.7 %, while the yearly inflation was 0.9 %.

According to preliminary figures of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), which were released on Tuesday, Bulgarian exports to both the EU and third countries increased, but the country's trade balance remained negative.

Bulgarian exports to the EU in the first quarter of 2015 amounted to BGN 6.9 B, which represented an increase of 12 % compared to the same period last year.

Bulgaria's retail sales index dropped by 0.2% month-on-month in April at constant prices, the country's statistics office announced on Monday.

Year-on-year, retail sales were 0.5% higher compared to April 2014, according to preliminary data adjusted for the number of working days, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said in a statement.