Bulgaria’s labor market remained stagnant throughout 2024, with low unemployment levels but an equally limited number of job openings, according to economists from the Institute for Market Economics. The lack of significant reforms in the past year further exacerbated structural problems in the labor market. These issues, which were already prominent after the post-pandemic recovery,…
The real estate market in Bulgaria experienced notable changes in 2024, with significant price increases and a rise in transaction volumes. Assoc. Prof. Miroslav Vladimirov, economist and member of ERA Bulgaria’s board, highlighted that 2024 was distinct from previous years, particularly when compared to the post-COVID period of 2020-2021. According to Vladimirov, property prices rose…
In January, businesses maintained their business performance expectations at the level of the previous year due to seasonal factors, the difficult security situation and rising production costs. This is evidenced by the business activity expectations index (BAEI), which the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) calculates on a monthly basis. “The BAEI was 41.0 in January…
The Bulgarian government’s decision not to recognize the Bulgarian Employers’ Association for Innovative Technologies (BRAIT) as a representative organization for employers at the national level has led to its exclusion from the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (NCTC). This decision, made by the Council of Ministers through its resolution No. 37/29.01.2025, has sparked criticism, with…
Economists have urged Bulgaria’s leadership to submit an application to the European Commission and the European Central Bank for an extraordinary convergence report on joining the eurozone. This appeal was directed to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Bulgarian Prime Minister and the President. The petition comes in light of concerns over the draft…
Valeri Belchev, former acting Minister of Finance, has recently expressed strong concerns about Bulgaria’s financial management, particularly focusing on the lack of proper budget management tools. In an interview with Bulgarian National Radio, Belchev criticized the absence of budget management software in key governmental institutions, including the Ministry of Finance. He called it absurd that…
Financial expert Kamen Kolchev has advised against investing in real estate, warning that property prices in Bulgaria could drop by up to 20% upon the country’s entry into the eurozone, whenever that may happen. He pointed out that while Bulgarians had a strong preference for buying property, the limited development of financial instruments in the…