British News Agency

Last year, the sharpest price increases were seen in coffee, bread, and fresh fruit, all of which rose by more than 20%. Other basic necessities such as oil, flour, and eggs also saw significant increases, with prices rising between 10% and 15%. Atanasov stressed that inflation and rising costs are undeniable realities affecting Bulgarian households.

Addressing concerns about potential manipulation of statistics, Atanasov firmly rejected any inaccuracies, emphasizing that every figure published by the NSI is carefully verified by Eurostat, which regularly visits Bulgaria to monitor inflation, public debt, and budget deficit indicators. “Without this oversight, not a single figure could be published,” he explained.

The consumer basket used to calculate the Consumer Price Index consists of about 860 products, which are updated minimally each year. Among the items removed in recent years are compact discs and small digital cameras, reflecting decreased demand.

Despite these small adjustments, the basket remains largely consistent, providing a stable basis for tracking price changes across Bulgaria.