Economic growth, but with growing inequality – this is the main conclusion of the annual study on the economic and social development of the districts in Bulgaria, which was presented by our partners from the Institute for Market Economics (IME).
The presentation of “Regional Profiles: indicators for development” was attended by the CEO of Invest Sofia, Dr. Maria Hristova PhD. For more than 10 years the IME experts have been analyzing the development indicators of the different regions of the country and have prepared a study unique in its scale and depth. “Regional Profiles 2024” shows that the outpacing economic growth in several of Bulgaria’s smaller regions continues, with Sofia’s share in the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP) gradually declining. However, the capital retains its leading role with 41% of GDP in 2022, or 68.7 billion BGN, followed by Plovdiv and Stara Zagora.
While Plovdiv contributes 6.5% of GDP, Stara Zagora’s economy, fuelled by a strong energy sector, reaches 6.2%. The recovery of tourism is a key factor for the positive dynamics in Varna and Burgas, while industrial growth is supporting economic development in the periphery of Sofia. In contrast, the districts of Vidin, Silistra and Dobrich remain with lower growth, further widening the differences in the income and the quality of life.
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