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Bulgaria inflation in March has been increased by rises in the prices of fuel and tobacco. Photo by BGNES
The consumer price index (CPI) in Bulgaria went up to 1,3% year-on-year in March after marking a 0,9% increase the previous month, statistics office data showed on Wednesday.
On a monthly basis, the CPI edged up by 0,2%.
Food prices in January slightly decreased by 0,1% on a monthly basis. Non-food prices increased 5.9% on an annual basis in March and were up by 1.0 % on the month.
Prices of diesel and petrol went up by 5.5% and 6.0 % respectively on the month, while cigarette prices rose 2.3%, according to the data.
Prices of services edged down 0.2 % month-on-month.
Meanwhile, the harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2,4% on a yearly basis in March and was up 0.4% on a monthly basis.
Double-digit inflation and a growing current account deficit had prevented Bulgaria from joining the ERM II, so-called waiting room to the eurozone, since it joined the European Union in 2007.
The center-right government dropped its plans for applying for ERM II after raising the alarm that the 2009 budget gap was 3.7% of gross domestic product rather than the 1.9 % due unaccounted procurement deals.
Bulgaria recorded only a modest and one-off increase in inflation following the adoption of the euro on January 1, with the effect estimated at between 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points
Finance officials and the Bulgarian National Bank have issued a series of warnings about Bulgaria’s fiscal and economic outlook for 2026, highlighting rising pressure on public finances, slower growth, and higher inflation.
Nikolay Vassilev, former Minister of Economy, dismissed claims that prices in Bulgaria have doubled following eurozone-related developments, arguing instead that inflation remains low and that public fears about sharp price increases are exaggerated.
Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev has warned that inflation risks are increasingly driven by geopolitical developments, stressing that Bulgaria remains firmly anchored within the European institutional and political framework
Preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) indicate that consumer prices in Bulgaria increased by 0.7% in March on a monthly basis, while annual inflation reached 3.9%, according to the agency’s flash estimate
The Chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission, Alexander Kolyachev, has stated that there is currently no significant rise in the prices of essential food products, despite growing public concern over inflation
Caretaker Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski said he expects fuel prices at gas stations to ease in the coming period, pointing to a sharp decline in international oil markets
Bulgaria’s new government borrowing for 2026 has surpassed the 1 billion euro mark following the latest successful auction of state securities, according to data cited from the Bulgarian National Bank
Bulgaria recorded only a modest and one-off increase in inflation following the adoption of the euro on January 1, with the effect estimated at between 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points
Data released by the Ministry of Finance, covering budget execution for February 2026 and preliminary estimates for March 2026, indicate a marked deterioration in Bulgaria’s fiscal position
In the 2026 edition of the Index of Economic Freedom, compiled by the Heritage Foundation, Bulgaria is placed 38th out of 176 countries, positioned between Costa Rica and Oman
Finance officials and the Bulgarian National Bank have issued a series of warnings about Bulgaria’s fiscal and economic outlook for 2026, highlighting rising pressure on public finances, slower growth, and higher inflation.
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