Sat, Feb 11 2012

Bulgaria CPI shrinks for fourth straight month

Mon, Sep 14 2009 12:00 CET 2195 Views
Bulgaria CPI shrinks for fourth straight month

Photo: Nadezhda Chipeva

Bulgaria's consumer price index (CPI) shrank by 0.2 per cent in August, the fourth consecutive month of decline, National Statistical Institute (NSI) data showed on September 14. Year-on-year inflation in Bulgaria eased to 1.3 per cent in August, compared to 1.6 per cent a month earlier.

Food prices were down 0.9 per cent, while non-food prices rose by 0.4 per cent and services prices edged 0.1 per cent higher.

The harmonised consumer price index, the figure calculated by the statistics board for comparison with inflation in the European Union, was 0.1 per cent higher, while the year-on-year figure was 1.3 per cent.

Bulgaria's Cabinet targets an annual inflation of 5.8 per cent on the expectations of reduced consumption as the global financial crisis will become increasingly felt in the country. For the first eight months of the year, Bulgaria recorded 0.1 per cent deflation.

A faster drop in inflation would eliminate Bulgaria's main obstacle towards adopting the euro, although it would not guarantee a faster process. Bulgaria's Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov has said that the new Cabinet would raise the issue of accession to the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the eurozone waiting room, in November 2009.

Last year, inflation was 7.8 per cent, below the eight per cent estimates announced by the Finance Ministry and Bulgarian National Bank, and well short of the 12.5 per cent figure recorded in 2007.

  • Print
  • Send via email
  • Translate to
  • Share:

To post comments, please, Login or Register.


Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.

Bulgaria to seek eurozone entry within GERB’s term – Finance Minister

Bulgaria joining the euro zone is a top priority for Prime Minister Boiko Borissov's GERB Government, and the plan is to achieve this during this term of office, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov said on September 16 2009 in an interview with news agency Reuters.

More in this category

Average monthly salary in Bulgaria rose in Q4 2011, statistics institute says

In the fourth quarter of 2011, the average monthly salary increased to 727 leva, 4.9 per cent higher than in Q3, the National Statistics Institute says.

Global food prices rebound, FAO says

For the first time in six months, global food prices rose overall in January 2012, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation said.

Bulgaria mulls tighter regulation of bank fees - updated

The package will be discussed with the Association of Bulgarian Banks before the amendments are submitted to Parliament.

Bulgarian ICT Watch event in March

Debate at the half-day event will cover what has been achieved so far and what further can be done by the Bulgarian Government to support development of the market.

Movers and shakers

Selectivity, not popularity, is the driving force behind Sofia's most exclusive members' only club.

Appointments

British Council

British Council

Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.

CEZ

CEZ

Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.

BASF Bulgaria

BASF Bulgaria

Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.

Rompetrol Bulgaria

Rompetrol Bulgaria

Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.