Bulgaria’s economy expanded in the first quarter of 2026, with gross domestic product rising by 2.9 percent year-on-year, according to express estimates from the National Statistical Institute cited by BTA. On a quarterly basis, GDP increased by 0.7 percent compared with the final quarter of 2025, based on seasonally adjusted data.
In nominal terms, GDP reached 25.314 billion euros in the January–March period, while gross value added stood at 21.942 billion euros. The structure of output remained heavily weighted toward household demand, with final consumption accounting for 88.8 percent of GDP, or 22.484 billion euros. Gross capital formation amounted to 4.381 billion euros, representing 17.3 percent of economic output. The external balance remained negative over the period.
The NSI data show that gross value added rose by 2.6 percent on an annual basis. Among key components of demand, final consumption increased by 6.9 percent, while gross fixed capital formation recorded stronger growth of 8 percent compared with the same quarter a year earlier. Export growth was modest at 0.4 percent, while imports expanded more sharply by 6.4 percent.
Compared with the previous quarter, gross value added increased by 0.7 percent. Seasonally adjusted figures indicate that the quarterly growth was driven mainly by a 1.4 percent rise in final consumption and a 1.1 percent increase in gross fixed capital formation.
The Ministry of Finance, in its latest Spring Macroeconomic Forecast, projects real GDP growth of 2.6 percent for 2026, according to BTA.