By March 2, enterprises and self-insured persons who have paid income to individuals in 2025, including from employment relationships, are required to submit electronically to the NRA reports on the amounts paid. They are declared in levs, given that in 2025 this is the main currency in Bulgaria. In the report under Art. 73, para. 6 of the Personal Income Tax Act, in addition to the taxable income paid in 2025 from employment relationships and the withheld tax and mandatory social security contributions, employers must also declare certain non-taxable income provided by them. Among them are: food vouchers given to employees, which are exempt from tax on social expenses under the Corporate Income Tax Act, benefits paid for the first two days of sick leave, one-time benefits of up to 2,400 BGN/1,227.1 EUR for the birth or adoption of a child, civil marriage, non-taxable daily business travel allowances, if the amount paid to a specific individual is over 1,000 BGN/511.29 EUR, etc. In the report under Art. 73, para. 1 of the Personal Income Tax Act, the income paid during the year, the tax withheld and mandatory social security contributions of individuals from non-employment legal relationships, exercising a freelance profession, royalties, rent or other pecuniary provision for the use of rights or property, income from other sources, income subject to taxation with a final tax, such as dividends and liquidation shares, taxable cash and in-kind prizes from games, from competitions and contests that are not provided by an employer or client, etc., income from the transfer of rights and property, as well as non-taxable income, exhaustively listed in Art. 73, para. 1 of the Personal Income Tax Act and in Part IV of the nomenclature to the approved template, are declared. The data received by the NRA from enterprises will be able to be entered into the pre-filled tax returns, which will be available on the Electronic Services Portal in March.

The average interest rate on consumer loans increased by 0.01 percentage points to 9.05 percent in January 2026 compared to December 2025, according to data from the BNB's monthly interest rate statistics. The annual percentage rate of charge on these loans also increased by 0.01 percentage points to 9.37 percent. For housing loans, the average interest rate decreased by 0.01 percentage points to 2.46 percent, and the annual percentage rate of charge on these loans - by 0.11 percentage points to 2.74 percent. The average interest rate on other loans increased by 0.33 percentage points to 4.33 percent, and for other loans to employers and self-employed persons - by 0.49 percentage points to 4.33 percent. In January, the average interest rate on overdrafts fell by 0.16 percentage points to 13.40 percent, and on credit card loans outside the interest-free grace period, it increased by 0.02 percentage points to 21.44 percent. In business lending in January 2026, compared to December 2025, the average interest rate on loans up to EUR 1 million increased by 0.20 percentage points to 4.15 percent, and on loans over EUR 1 million decreased by 0.16 percentage points to 4.32 percent. The average interest rate on overdrafts increased by 0.02 percentage points to 3.37 percent. In household deposits, in January, the average interest rate on deposits with agreed maturity increased by 0.09 percentage points to 1.05 percent. The average interest rate on overnight deposits remains at 0.01 percent, while that on deposits redeemable at notice increases slightly to 0.26 percent. In January 2026, compared to December 2025, the average interest rate on deposits with agreed maturity decreased by 0.18 percentage points to 1.26 percent. The average interest rate on overnight deposits remains at 0.06 percent.

The average gross annual salary of those employed under an employment and service relationship in Bulgaria reached 31,239 leva in 2025, according to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Compared to the previous year, 2024, salaries recorded an increase of exactly 12 percent, with the increase being almost evenly distributed between the public and private sectors. In the public sector, the average salary increased by 12.6 percent, while in private business the growth was slightly more moderate – 11.7 percent. Despite the general upward trend, statistics show deep structural differences in salaries according to economic activity. The traditional leader in terms of income remains the sector "Creation and dissemination of information and creative products; telecommunications", where the average gross salary for last year reached 64,537 leva. High levels of remuneration are also maintained in the energy sector ("Production and distribution of electricity, heat and gaseous fuels") with 41,632 leva, closely followed by "Financial and insurance activities" with 41,620 leva. At the other end of the ranking are services and agriculture. The lowest average incomes are registered in the hotel and restaurant industry - 17,043 leva per year, which is nearly four times less than the pay in the technology industry. In the "Agriculture, forestry and fisheries" sector, the average remuneration is 19,402 leva.

In the two months between the resignation of Rosen Zhelyazkov and the appointment of Andrey Gyurov as acting prime minister, the Road Agency (API) has selected contractors in public procurement contracts worth nearly 100 million euros for road repairs and construction, as well as for most positions in the large tender for guardrails - in five of the six regions, worth 400 million euros. 70 million leva, or about 35 million euros, were spent on installing guardrails in the period 2014-2019, from 2019 to 2024 - 271 million leva, or 136 million euros, while the estimated value of the tender announced in September 2025 is almost 491 million euros. Traditionally, the contract is divided into six geographical regions and the contracts are usually for five years - which is the term now, although the last ones were for a three-year term. "Jupiter 05" is one of the largest companies with experience in the industry, with crash barriers being its main business and it has had contracts with the RIA for over 10 years. Its owner - Nikolay Ivanov, is at the head of "Jupiter Holding", which unites several other companies - from industry to hotels. "Jupiter 05" was previously responsible for safety in two regions of the country alone, but now it appears with a surprising partner - "Aqua Construction". The company is owned by Tsvetelina Dimitrova and is a small enterprise within the meaning of the law. It has mainly implemented water and sanitation projects. Another new company in the crash barrier business is "Polytrade Construction", which will supply the North-West and South-West. It is owned by the son and daughter of businessman Petar Hristov, who was murdered in 2018 - Petar and Mihaela Hristov, through their company "IBP Management". Hristov was the owner of "Laktima Balkan", one of the large dairy products production companies based in Veliko Tarnovo, and was shot in Sofia. "Polytrade Construction" is a construction company, having won the public contract for the renovation of the former "Festivalna" hall in 2017. The company will partner with "KMV Road Safety Systems", which has been in the sector for a long time and is owned by "Sportland" and "Kolkhida Metal" - a metal products enterprise in Pernik. KVM's partners are two other new companies in this activity in the position for the North-Central region - "Shalin" and "Radina". The first is registered in Blagoevgrad and owned by Stoyan Stefanov. "Radina", registered in the village of Mihalkovo, which is engaged in the installation of guardrails. Its owner is Georgi Getov. In 2023, "Radina" concluded a contract with the RIA for the guardrails in the North Central Region in association with DLV, which is indirectly associated with the former municipal councilor in Sofia Orlin Alexiev, and with the Pernik-based "Siminvest". "Radina" has revenues of 22.9 million leva for 2024 and about 40 staff.

According to Eurostat, only 39.5% of packaging plastic in Bulgaria is recycled, compared to an EU average of 42.1% and a target of 55% for 2030. The activities of the Montana company Monatex intertwine the textile and recycling industries. It was recently awarded for its project to produce yarn from recycled PET bottles. Monatex was established in 2000 and initially produced yarn for hand knitting and clothing. Later, they began selling their products to Turkish companies, to which they transfer the offcuts in bales in exchange for recycled yarn. The Montana company has partners in several countries that produce fibers from PET flake. They are converted into filament, yarn, fabrics and wadding with different characteristics. Such fibers are used in automotive upholstery and even in the production of curbs and park elements. 90% of Monatex's production is realized in Europe - the company has major clients in Germany, France, Romania, North Macedonia, Croatia and Greece and is trying to develop the Canadian market. In 2024 alone, the Monatex group processed 250 tons of plastic bottles. Recycled materials have almost a 50 percent share in its production. A large part of the Montana company's raw material is imported from Romania, Italy and Serbia - sorted PET bottles. Monatex also uses technological marriage from bottle manufacturers and bottling companies. It cannot buy directly from the regional landfill, because it has a contract with companies that buy all the waste. So it has to pay intermediaries. First, a "Packaging" fee is paid by the manufacturer or importer (2-3 stotinki per bottle of 16-25 grams or 800 leva per ton), after which the consumer pays a "Household Waste" fee. Finally, the recycling company pays a third time - the last price was 290 euros per ton for mix and 400 euros per ton of transparent bottles.

Wood manufacturer Kronospan announced that it is reopening the production of MDF boards at its plant in Veliko Tarnovo. This will be done in compliance with all safety requirements and standards set out in the comprehensive permit issued by the Executive Agency for the Environment. MDF boards are a key material for the furniture industry. They are widely used both on the Bulgarian market and in the international production of furniture and interior solutions. The state imposed the compulsory measure on Kronospan Bulgaria in order to stop the production activity of the chipboard line at the company's site. According to the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water, the reason was failure to comply with a requirement to install an installation against unpleasant odors emitted during wood processing. On February 20, the Supreme Administrative Court finally ruled that the Kronospan plant in Veliko Tarnovo remains closed. The production line for wood chipboards, which was stopped at the end of last year, is still not operating. The company appealed the measure to the Administrative Court - Burgas, but the supreme magistrates confirmed the decision, which is final and this production line remains sealed, at least for now. Established as a small family business in Austria in the distant 1897, today Kronospan is one of the world's leading wood producers. The company, which has 41 factories and operates in 120 markets, is one of the major employers in the region of the Bulgarian cities of Burgas and Veliko Tarnovo. The company produces and distributes wood panels with various applications and is a major supplier to the furniture industry.

In 2011, Lighthouse Golf Resort AD inherited 24 properties from its bankrupt predecessor Cliff Golf Holiday Club AD, which are now being sold off. The grandiose project, launched during the government of Sergei Stanishev, included the intention of an investor who appeared by chance to build a settlement on a total area of ​​963 acres with sports golf courses, a service center (hotel complex and swimming pools), a sports complex, an attraction complex, an equestrian center and a residential part of separate neighborhoods scattered throughout the property. The construction invasion at that time brought here companies such as Balkanstroy AD and Barrage & Co EOOD and the Gibraltar-registered Triacom, which owns the largest share in the created joint-stock company. Thus was born the Lighthouse Golf Resort complex. The project of "Cliff Golf Holiday Club" AD for the construction of a golf village in the "Tabiata" area, Balchik municipality, was approved according to all the rules and quickly received the necessary environmental impact assessment. The Bulgarian investment is in the amount of 70 million euros, which, in addition to the 18-hole course, will be for a five-star hotel and five residential areas with over 800 apartments, houses and villas. In just a few years, the company's financial results collapsed. And in order to get rid of the impending bankruptcy, the Bulgarian companies "withdrew" from the venture. Thus, "Cliff Golf Holiday Club" AD was transferred to "Lighthouse Golf Resort" AD, whose owners turned out to be from Gibraltar, and the largest shareholder "Bauhaus Project Management Limited" even further - from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (i.e. the Lesser Antilles). With a minimal percentage of shares, T. Trendafilov EOOD, owned by Tihomir Trendafilov, remained. Very soon after this international shake-up, its properties began to be sold off for next to nothing, as financial claims for overdue debts and unfulfilled contracts began to pile up. Now the receiver is once again trying to sell off the assets of the bankrupt company so that its creditors can receive at least minimal compensation for the funds they invested. In the 17-page list of claims accepted by the receiver of the creditors of Lighthouse Golf Resort from May 2019, the largest among them is Eurobank Bulgaria AD, whose non-performing loan is nearly 7.5 million leva, granted in 2008. And if we add here the interest for late payment, which by 2019 exceeds 9 million leva. The National Revenue Agency is also listed as a serious creditor. Only public claims for unpaid taxes are about 800,000 leva. Plus the unpaid social security contributions of the workers here, which with interest already exceed 500,000 leva. This "analysis" of the accumulated debts includes unpaid contracts with dozens of companies that are contractors on the site, which are still waiting for amounts of 20,000 - 500,000 leva. As well as a dozen citizens - mainly residents of Denmark - who apparently did not receive the promised apartments in the complex and who managed to register as creditors of the company with amounts of 100,000 - 150,000 leva. The assets that are expected to be sold will hardly be able to compensate the creditors even minimally. The last company that owns the bankrupt company is "Hanap Investment and Finance" (Virgin Islands).

ITF Group AD increases interest income by over 26% at the end of 2025 compared to 2024 to BGN 31.3 million from BGN 24.77 million. The company's total income increases by nearly 35% to BGN 35.5 million from BGN 26.3 million a year earlier. The volume of funds granted increases by 63% on an annual basis to BGN 60.2 million, and the loan portfolio increases by 58% to BGN 48.2 million. The company's total assets reach BGN 60 million at the end of last year. ITF Group's expenses for 2025 increase by 31.5% compared to 2024 to over BGN 29.3 million from BGN 22.3 million in 2024. The company's profit at the end of 2025 increases by almost 72% to nearly BGN 6.2 million from BGN 3.6 million.

The European Central Bank (ECB) reported a significant improvement in its financial result, ending 2025 with a loss of 1.254 billion euros. In comparison, a year earlier the negative result amounted to nearly 7.944 billion euros. The main driver of this deficit reduction is the sharp decrease in net interest expenses, which fell from nearly 7 billion euros in 2024 to just 178 million euros last year. The current losses are a direct consequence of the tightening of monetary policy in 2022 and 2023. At that time, the increase in interest rates increased the bank's liability costs, while the income from previously acquired fixed-rate assets remained low. With the gradual decrease in key interest rates since 2024 and the contraction of the ECB's balance sheet to 603 billion euros, this imbalance is starting to decrease. In accordance with European legislation and the Statute of the European System of Central Banks, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has already contributed the remainder of its subscribed capital to the ECB in the amount of EUR 102 million. In addition to the capital contribution, our country has transferred foreign exchange reserve assets to the ECB in the total value of EUR 1.483 billion. The portfolio consists of 85% US dollars and 15% gold. The financial report also shows an optimization of the ECB's internal costs. Personnel costs decreased to EUR 809 million, and other operating expenses also reported a slight decrease. At the same time, income from supervisory fees collected from the largest commercial banks under direct supervision increased slightly to EUR 690 million. The bank's financial sustainability is guaranteed by total capital and reserves in the amount of EUR 71 billion, which serve as a buffer against market fluctuations.

The International Monetary Fund has urged the United States to curb its growing fiscal deficits, both in terms of current account and trade, Reuters reported. Inflation in US goods has been “somewhat affected” by Trump’s tariffs, underscoring the ongoing price effects of trade policy even as broader inflation slows. In its first “Article IV” analysis of the Trump administration’s policies for the United States, the IMF said a cut in the federal funds rate to a range of 3.25% to 3.5% would be consistent with the US economy returning to full employment. The IMF sees scope for further policy easing over time, assuming inflation continues to decline and labor market conditions remain strong. Decisive action is needed to put the US public debt on a downward path. The IMF forecasts persistent deficits and rising debt levels in the coming years, raising concerns about medium-term fiscal sustainability. The Fund shares the Trump administration’s concerns about the widening U.S. trade and current account deficits, adding bluntly that the external deficit is “too large.” The IMF has warned that persistently large deficits expose the U.S. to shifts in global investor sentiment. The IMF has not yet taken a formal position on the recent Supreme Court ruling to reverse some of former President Trump’s tariffs. The Fund will assess the implications and include them in its final Article IV report. The IMF said in its first Article IV review of the U.S. economy that U.S. growth in 2026 will remain at a sustained pace of 2.4 percent, in line with the Fund’s January forecast, while inflation will not return to the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target until early 2027, given uncertainty about its path and that of economic growth. However, the IMF believes that US fiscal deficits will remain between 7% and 8% of GDP in the coming years - more than twice the levels targeted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, and consolidated public debt will reach 140% of GDP by 2031. "Although the risk of sovereign stress in the US is low, the upward trend in the public debt/GDP ratio and rising levels of short-term debt/GDP pose a growing risk to the stability of the US and global economies," the IMF said.

The number of newborns in Japan in 2025 fell from the previous year to 705,809, the lowest level since records began in 1899 and a new record low for the 10th consecutive year. Including children of foreign residents in Japan, the number of newborns was 2.1 percent lower than in 2024, amid a rapidly aging population and growing concerns about raising children due to the high cost of living and inflation. However, the rate of decline is slowing from the previous year. In addition to economic concerns, experts say more people are choosing to marry and have children later in life, or not at all, due to changing priorities. The population continues to decline, with the natural decrease - the difference between births and deaths - reaching a record 899,845, according to preliminary data from the Japanese ministry. Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Studies (IPSS) predicts that the number of births, including those to foreign residents, will not fall below 710,000 until 2042. In separate data released by the ministry in June last year, the number of babies born to natives in the country in 2024 fell to 680,000, falling below the 700,000 threshold for the first time.