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Dr. Boyko Takov: Analytical and empirical results from ongoing projects constitute a solid information base
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Photo: Stella Ivanova
In the first nine months of 2025, commercial banks in Bulgaria reported a total profit of 2.8 billion leva (approximately 1.43 billion euros), which is 107 million leva (about 55 million euros) higher than in the same period of 2024.
Banks earned 5.09 billion leva (roughly 2.6 billion euros) in interest income from loans, while their interest expenses on deposits remained significantly lower at 920 million leva (around 470 million euros). This resulted in a net interest income of 4.17 billion leva (approximately 2.13 billion euros) by the end of September, nearly matching the previous year’s level.
At the same time, revenue from fees and commissions increased by almost 10% compared to 2024, totaling 1.304 billion leva (around 667 million euros) collected from both individual and corporate clients. Provisions for potential loan losses also rose, reaching 485 million leva (about 248 million euros), up 7.6% or 34 million leva (17 million euros) from the previous year.
Data from the Bulgarian National Bank show that households have loans totaling 54.4 billion leva (approximately 27.8 billion euros). Of these, loans overdue by 90 to 180 days amount to 230 million leva (around 118 million euros), while non-performing loans over 180 days total 793 million leva (roughly 405 million euros). While overdue and non-performing loans have increased by 18% and 10% respectively, overall household lending has grown by more than 22%, highlighting the broader expansion in credit.
The Ministry of Finance has released a broad public dataset covering more than 7,000 public procurement contracts with a combined value exceeding 30 billion euros
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
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