Bulgaria registered significant economic growth in 2006, making the year one of the most successful for the country's economy since the start of the transition period.

GDP growth for the second and third quarters of 2006 increased making economists come up with annual predictions of a six per cent growth.

Such results show investor trust in Bulgaria, a Council of Minister press release said. Direct foreign investment exceeded 3.2 billion euro by October 2006.

Another positive signal is the low unemployment rate of 9.1 per cent. Macroeconomic stability and consistent social policies led to the result, the press release said.

Budget income totals 13.521 billion leva or 110 per cent of the annual predictions. Taxation income reached 11.652 billion leva or 18.6 per cent more than the taxation income for the previous year.

Expenditure reached 11.708 billion leva. Bulgaria's fiscal reserve reached 5.845 billion leva, which according to economists guaranteed stability and independence from external risk factors.