Press releases

NSI presents preliminary results from the Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2012.

In the first quarter of 2012, the municipal authorities have issued building permits for construction of 868 residential buildings with 1 944 dwellings, of 35 administrative buildings/offices and 1 014 other buildings. The construction of 382 residential buildings with 1 262 dwellings, of 17 administrative buildings/offices and 394 other buildings has been started.

The educational structure of population aged 7 and more improves considerably, following the clearly expressed tendency of increase of the number and share of population with tertiary and upper secondary education and decrease the number of people with lower secondary or lower education.

As of 1.02.2011 the Population census results shows 1 348.7 thousand persons with tertiary education, or each fifth person (19.6%). With upper secondary education are 2 990.4 thousand persons (43.4%). The proportion of persons with primary or lower education is 13.9% (or every seventh in 100).

Population of Bulgaria is 7 327 224 persons as of 31 December 2011 or 1.5% of the EU population. Male population is 3 566 767 (48.7%) and female - 3 760 457 (51.3%).

The business surveys carried out in April 2012 show a certain improvement of business conjuncture in the country as the total business climate indicator increases by 3.2 percentage points in comparison with the previous month due to the more favourable managers’ opinions from all observed sectors - industry, construction, retail trade and service sector.

Production of petroleum products was restored in March 2012, after the annual repair of production capacities.
Production of liquefied petroleum gases in March 2012 compared to February 2012 increases by 200.0%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 204.8% and transport diesel - by 195.0%. Decrease is reported for the production of solid fuels by 5.2% and electricity - by 6.2%.

Deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases in March 2012 compared to February 2012 increase by 4.8%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 5.3% and transport diesel - by 13.3%. Decrease is reported for the deliveries of solid fuels by 7.6%, natural gas - by 20.7% and electricity - by 13.2%.

Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in March 2012 increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month, while compared to the same month of 2011 the domestic prices grew by 4.6%. Total Producer Price Index rose by 0.8% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2011 the prices went up by 3.4%.

In March 2012 the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 308.1 thousand or by 36.0% more than in February 2012 and by 4.3% above the registered in March 2011.

On the basis of preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute the General Government Sector reported in 2011 government deficit of 1 576 million BGN or 2.1% of GDP.
The Government Debt of Bulgaria for 2011 is 12 293 million BGN or 16.3 % of GDP.

The market price index of the dwellings for the first quarter of 2012 compared to the fourth quarter of 2011 was 99.6%, i.e. the average decrease of the market prices of the dwellings was 0.4 %.