Bulgaria’s economy grew by 3.1 per cent last year, based on preliminary data, the country’s National Statistics Institute (NSI) said on March 6. In real terms, gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 was 116 billion euro, NSI said.
In the fourth quarter, Bulgaria’s economy grew by 0.8 per cent compared to the previous quarter and was three per cent higher year-on-year. In real terms, GDP in the last three months of 2025 was 33.47 billion euro.
The full-year economic growth figure exceeded the government target, initially set at 2.8 per cent in the 2025 Budget and later raised by the Finance Ministry to three per cent in the macroeconomic framework accompanying the draft 2026 Budget package.
Economic growth in 2025 also exceeded the 2.8 per cent recorded in 2024.
NSI’s preliminary data gave a breakdown by key growth components only for the last quarter of 2025, not the full year.
The data showed domestic consumption rose by 1.8 per cent in the fourth quarter compared to Q3 and was 7.8 per cent higher on an annual basis. Gross fixed capital formation shrank by 1.3 per cent on a quarterly basis, but was 6.1 per cent higher year-on-year.
Exports in the fourth quarter rose by 3.4 per cent, while imports were 6.9 per cent higher. Year-on-year, exports were 0.2 per cent up in the fourth quarter, while imports were 11.1 per cent higher.
In real terms, the fourth-quarter trade deficit was 1.92 billion euro, or 5.8 per cent of quarterly GDP, while the full-year trade balance showed a deficit of 1.2 billion euro, the equivalent of one per cent of GDP for the full year.
Source: https://sofiaglobe.com/
