Bulgaria`s trade balance was negative to the amount of USD 279 million for January-March, 2001, the National Statistics Institute (NSI), said. The trade deficit is down by USD 23.9 million year-on-year. Exports amounted to USD 1215.6 million for the period, up by 9.4 percent. Imports were USD 1494.7 million, also up by 5.7 percent compared with the like period of 2000. The trade balance deficit for the first quarter was USD 161 million. A year ago the deficit amounted to USD 348 million. The difference on annual basis represents 1.2 percent of the GDP of Bulgaria.