Three-quarters (68 per cent) of Bulgarians say that the financial situation of their household has deteriorated, a Eurobarometer survey showed.

More than half of the respondents (53 per cent) consider their personal situation to be "bad". The figures are in striking contract to the EU-27 average of 34 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.

An average of 64 per cent of EU citizens (and only 29 per cent of Bulgarians) consider their household finances to be in a good state.

Fifty-two per cent of Europeans say they are fine with their job situation in comparison with 34 per cent of Bulgarians.

The survey was announced last week but was carried out in May, when the debt crisis was at its worst, Eurobarometer said.

A total of 1000 Bulgarians were polled by TNS BBSS out of a total of 26 641 polled in the 27 member states of the EU.

A staggering 94-95 per cent of Bulgarians said the national economy and employment were in a bad shape (against 77 per cent and 83 per cent for the EU), and a paltry four per cent approve of the level (versus a 22 per cent EU average).

One in four Bulgarians anticipates deterioration in household finances by May 2011 but still pessimists numbers have diminished (from 36 percent) from autumn 2009.

Surprisingly, Bulgarians are quite optimistic about the EU-27 economy, with 42 per cent saying it is good versus a 22 per cent EU average.

The expectations about the 12 months ahead are also different, with 39 per cent of Bulgarians seeing improvement and six per cent decline globally. This compares with 23 per cent and 30 per cent for the EU on average. More than half (55 per cent) of the Europeans are worried that the worst on the job market is yet to come against 30 per cent pessimists in Bulgaria.

Source: Dnevnik.bg