At a briefing, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova expressed optimism that Bulgaria is on track to meet the eurozone’s price stability criterion once again in June. Citing the 12-month Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) published by Eurostat, Petkova noted that Bulgaria's inflation stands at 2.8%, slightly below the preliminary eurozone average of 2.9%.

Turning to national data, Petkova explained that according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), Bulgaria’s annual inflation rate for June - measured over the period from June 2024 to June 2025 - is 4.4%. Since the beginning of the calendar year, cumulative inflation has reached 2.4%. In terms of month-to-month changes, June registered a price increase of 0.4%, compared to no monthly change recorded in May.

Petkova detailed the specific consumer groups that had the most notable influence on June's monthly inflation rate. The largest increase came from the “entertainment and culture” category, which rose by 2.8%. This was followed by a 1.3% increase in prices at restaurants and hotels. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products saw prices climb by 0.8%, while the transport sector registered a 0.7% rise.

Some categories, however, exerted a downward pressure on inflation. Prices in the “clothing and footwear” group dropped by 0.6%, communications costs declined by 0.2%, and miscellaneous goods and services edged down by 0.1%.

The finance minister reiterated that Bulgaria remains on a positive path regarding its eurozone aspirations, with inflation data continuing to align with the requirements for adopting the single European currency.