Bulgarians Join Balkan Protest Against Soaring Food Prices
Bulgaria has joined Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro in organizing protests against rising food prices
By the close of the third quarter, preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) indicates that there were approximately 17,600 job vacancies across Bulgaria. This marks a decrease of nearly 1,000 positions compared to the end of the second quarter.
Recently, the Employment Agency highlighted that the most in-demand roles include caretakers, machine operators, sales staff, and skilled workers in various industrial sectors.
NSI data reveals that the manufacturing industry accounted for the highest number of job vacancies, with around 2,600 open positions. Healthcare and social work followed closely with over 2,400 vacancies. In contrast, the real estate sector reported just 70 openings, and the extractive industry recorded 137 vacancies, making them the sectors with the fewest opportunities.
Bulgaria’s total workforce is estimated at nearly 2,270,000 people, with the manufacturing sector employing the most at over 430,000 individuals. The extractive industry, however, employs fewer than 18,000 people, reflecting its relatively smaller workforce.
The decline in job openings at the end of the third quarter—over 20,000 fewer compared to the second quarter—is largely attributed to reduced vacancies in the hotel and restaurant industry, which saw significant contractions during this period.
Source: National Statistical Institute (NSI)
In 2024, labor inspectors in Bulgaria carried out a total of 6,682 inspections in the construction sector, representing 13% of the overall 49,858 inspections conducted across all industries
According to a study presented to MPs by Prof. Emilia Chengelova, from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the shadow (grey/informal) economy in Bulgaria remains high at 33%
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the last quarter of 2024, the proportion of properties purchased with mortgage loans in Bulgaria grew to 27%, or roughly every third property
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