Bulgaria is seeing a notable rise in prices, with the latest monthly inflation reported at 0.3% and annual inflation at 3.3%, according to preliminary data for February released by Atanas Atanasov, chairman of the National Statistical Institute. The increase primarily reflects higher costs in services.

The largest jump occurred in the “Entertainment, sports, and culture” sector, where prices rose by 15.3%. Following this, “Restaurant and hotel services” increased by 9.1%, while “Educational services” went up by 8.6%. In contrast, healthcare saw a 4% drop in prices, and communications decreased by 3% compared to last year.

Using the European Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), Bulgaria’s annual inflation is calculated at 2%, slightly above the eurozone average of 1.9%.

Regarding fuel costs, Vladimir Ivanov, chairman of the Coordination Center for the Mechanism for the Introduction of the Euro, reported a clear jump at gas stations, ranging between 5 and 15 euro cents per liter. He noted that it is still early to draw conclusions on the trend but warned that if crude oil prices remain above USD 100 per barrel, medium-term effects could be significant. Ivanov expressed hope for a swift resolution to the crisis to mitigate further price impacts.