The value of the Bulgarian lev, as well as export increased, International Monetary Fund (IMF) resident representative to Bulgaria James Roaf said.

These positive statistics however should not lead to overestimation of the lev, Roaf said.

Darik Radio quoted Roaf as saying that increase demand on the domestic market and import levels still caused problems.

Inflation in Bulgaria was much higher than EU's average inflation but it was something normal, Roaf said.

IMF expected that productivity in Bulgaria would rise after the country's EU entry, Roaf said.

Such trends would lead to rise in the prices as well, but in this moment prices rise too fast. IMF hoped that inflation was going to vary between three and four per cent in the coming one or two years, Roaf said.