For the period January-November 2025, Bulgaria's foreign trade reported a deepening deficit, according to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute. The total value of exported goods amounted to 77.2 billion leva, which represents a decrease of 3.7% compared to the same period of the previous year. At the same time, imports increased by 5.1% and reached 95.96 billion leva, forming a trade deficit of nearly 18.8 billion leva. In November 2025 alone, exports were estimated at around 6.97 billion leva, decreasing by 4% on an annual basis. However, imports for the month increased by 5.2% and reached 9.5 billion leva, leading to a monthly deficit of 2.54 billion leva. In the first ten months of 2025, exports of Bulgarian goods to EU countries decreased by 4.7% and amounted to 44.9 billion leva. The most significant partners remain Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece and France, which together account for over 64% of exports to the Community. The strongest growth in exports was recorded in the group "Fats, oils and waxes of animal and vegetable origin", where the increase reached 29%. Imports from the EU for the same period increased by 4.4% to 49.7 billion leva, with leading suppliers being Germany, Romania, Greece, Italy and Poland. The largest increase was recorded in the import of "Non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages and tobacco" - an increase of 27%. Thus, Bulgaria's trade deficit with the EU for the period January-October amounted to 4.8 billion leva. In October, imports from the EU increased by 7.9% to 5.9 billion BGN, while exports recorded a more moderate growth of 2.9% and reached 5.2 billion BGN. For the eleven months of 2025, exports to countries outside the EU decreased by 2.1% and reached 27.55 billion BGN. The main destinations are Turkey, the USA, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, China, Algeria and the UK, which together provide almost half of exports to third countries. However, imports from these countries increased more noticeably – by 6.5%, to nearly 40.7 billion BGN. The largest share is accounted for by supplies from Turkey, China, Serbia and Ukraine. As a result, the trade deficit with third countries exceeds 13 billion BGN. In November alone, exports to third countries fell by 5.8% to around 2.3 billion BGN, while imports jumped by 12.4% and reached 3.96 billion BGN.

While Bulgaria's exports of goods have been shrinking steadily since 2022, those of services have continued to grow, although the pace has slowed sharply. In 2024, Bulgaria sold services worth 15.3 billion euros to foreign clients - a record for the country in itself. However, the growth has slowed down - to just 1.4%, compared to a reported jump of over 15% in the previous year. This is shown by Eurostat data on the balances of payments of EU member states. As a share of the economy, exports of services from Bulgaria represent around 14.6% of GDP and have slightly shrunk compared to 2023. Bulgaria retains its position as a net exporter of services with a positive balance of 7.7 billion euros in 2024. Imports of services are approximately half as small as exports - 7.6 billion euros. However, the balance is shrinking - by 2.3% - for the first time since the pandemic 2020, as imports are growing faster than exports. The technology sector occupies a leading place in the export of services from Bulgaria, accounting for over a quarter of the total value. In 2024, it slightly overtakes the "travel" category, after several years lagging behind it. Revenues in the ICT industry from servicing foreign clients exceed 4 billion euros, the data show, increasing by 11.2% compared to the previous year. The main part - about 70% or 2.8 billion euros, is "computer services", which in turn are divided almost equally between software services and "other". The rest is occupied by information and telecom services. Almost as much as ICT or just under 4 billion euros, is also carried by the "travel" category, increasing by 4.3%. It is more specific than the traditional idea of ​​services and can be considered to some extent as tourism, but it does not include only that. Statistically, it is defined as the purchase of goods and services by non-residents of a given economy during their stay in it - this includes purchases by tourists, but also employees during business trips, foreign students, people coming for medical treatment and others. The main part of the transactions - almost two thirds - are carried out during personal trips, and the rest - during business trips. Meanwhile, the export of business services is shrinking slightly - from 2.8 to 2.7 billion euros in 2024. The main part (47%) here are consulting, legal, accounting and other specialized services with total revenues from foreign clients of about 1.3 billion euros. A smaller share of revenues is generated by scientific and development activities, as well as technical, commercial and other, unclassified business services. The most significant decline among the larger service categories is reported in transport, with the sector's exports falling by 15.8% to EUR 2.4 billion in 2024. While maritime and air transport, which are relatively small in volume, are growing, land freight transport exports are significantly decreasing - from EUR 1.4 billion to EUR 883 million (down 38% compared to the previous year). The top 3 foreign markets for the Bulgarian services sector are Germany, the UK and the US, with 28.7% of exports concentrated in them. Transactions are also significant with a number of other countries (EUR 500-600 million each in 2024), including Turkey, Ireland, the Czech Republic and others. While exports of goods are traditionally concentrated to EU countries (about two-thirds), services to the union account for about 55% of sales. Almost three-quarters of Bulgaria's exports of services are to OECD countries - the so-called a club of rich countries, which includes mainly the most developed economies and which Bulgaria also wants to join. In 2024, EU exports of services (to countries outside the bloc) reached €1,568 billion (or €1.6 trillion), up 8% from the previous year. The EU also traditionally has a surplus in trade in services, with exports exceeding imports by €194 billion in 2024. International trade in services has been steadily growing since the decline in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, with 2022 being a record year for the EU with growth of 23.7%, after which the pace has slowed. The EU's leading trading partners in services are the US, the UK and Switzerland.

Mall Plovdiv has a new owner. The deal was finalized at the beginning of December, and the new owner is "TSH Investment" AD (TSH Investment) - a mutual association between the Bulgarian capital companies "Trinity Capital" AD and "Huss Invest" EAD. The seller is the Irish capital fund Avestus Capital Partners. "Huss Invest" EAD is part of the "Huss" OOD group - one of the largest independent manufacturers and distributors of metals and iron products in the Central and Eastern Europe region. "Trinity Capital" AD is a capital association specialized in the acquisition and management of retail space. The company owns and operates four retail parks in Bulgaria: XOPark Sofia, XOPark Yambol, XOPark Haskovo and XOPark Plovdiv. In 2023. in partnership with AP Capital, "Trinity Capital" acquires Mega Mall, and in 2024 takes a remarkable step in its development, entering the FMCG segment by becoming a shareholder in BGK AD - the association that manages and develops the Minimart chain of stores. plovdiv24.bg

The Road Infrastructure Agency (API) rushed to complete orders that had been pending for a whole year against the backdrop of the approaching early parliamentary elections and is breaking record after record in terms of prices. Thus, the new standard for strengthening 100 meters of a third-class road already costs over 1 million leva (500,000 euros). The record is held for the strengthening of 200 meters of a road near Bobov Dol for 1,086,750.89 euros (543,375 euros per 100 m). The company "Georesurs" EOOD was chosen as the contractor at the end of last year. Immediately after it is the strengthening of 250 meters of the third-class road Ivaylovgrad - Lyubimets for 1,269,806.27 euros (507,922 euros per 100 m). It will be carried out by "Infrainzhstroy" EOOD, with which the road agency has already concluded a contract at the end of 2025. The common thing in both public procurements is that four candidates submitted bids, but only one of the participants was admitted to the opening of the price proposals. There are no appeals. The financing is from the republican budget. Along the New Year holidays, the RIA launched another public procurement for the strengthening of 200 m of the third-class road near the village of Koren, Haskovo district, with an estimated cost of 751,599.07 euros. Strengthening 100 meters of road will now cost only 501,066 euros. Bids in this procedure are submitted until January 20. The Ivaylovgrad - Lyubimets road is the main connection of Ivaylovgrad with the regional center Haskovo. The section that is to be repaired passes entirely through mountainous terrain. Due to the activation of destabilization processes, the integrity of the road embankment at kilometer 28 has been violated. Four companies submitted bids in the public procurement announced by the RIA in the spring of 2025. These are: "Groma Hold" EOOD, "Stroy Invest Group 2" EOOD, "Infrainzhstroy" EOOD and "Stor Invest" AD. Only "Infrainzhstroy" EOOD was admitted to the opening of the price proposal, as the company gave a price of 1,269,806.27 euros excluding VAT. It is slightly below the estimated value of 1,275,161.95 euros. The remaining candidates were eliminated for various reasons. The design is planned to be carried out in three intermediate stages within a period of 90 calendar days. The construction and installation activities are planned to be implemented in 120 calendar days. The sole owner of the capital of "Infrainzhstroy" is Reni Gospodinova, but the company is managed by her husband Tsvetan Gospodinov. The company was registered with a capital of 10,000 leva in 2014 in Sofia. It works mainly on projects of municipalities, including Haskovo, Svishtov, Simitli, Breznik, Vratsa, Kula, Pavel Banya. It has implemented projects for the renovation of residential buildings, the reclamation of landfills and the construction of sports grounds. In recent years, the turnover of "Infrainzhstroy" has more than doubled - from 5.8 million leva in 2022 to 14.4 million leva in 2024. It employs about 40 people. The largest construction company in our country - "Glavbolgarstroy" (GBS) wins the order for strengthening the anchor wall at kilometer 210 of the first-class road Botevgrad - Sofia for 10 million euros. The order is for engineering - development of a technical project and construction. The strengthening activities will be carried out in a section with a length of approximately 273 m and a slope height between 15 and 30 meters. Five candidates submitted offers. These are: DZZD "Botevgrad-Mezdra Reinforcement", which includes "GBS Infrastructure Construction" AD and "GBS Global Construction" EAD, Association "Geopath Botevgrad 2025" - "Geostroy" AD and "Patstroy-92" AD, "Groma Hold" EOOD, "Valmex" EOOD and "Food and Fun Mix Center" EOOD. Only the GBS consortium was allowed to open a price offer, which gave a price of 9,713,076.29 euros excluding VAT, which is 257,115 euros lower than the estimated one. The set deadline for preparing the technical project is 140 calendar days, and for the strengthening activities - 330 calendar days. "GBS Infrastructure Construction" is one of the large companies in the industry. For 2024, it realized nearly 240 million leva in revenue from its activities, while a year earlier they were over 321 million leva. The company employs about 600 people.

Bulgarian entrepreneur Lyubomila Yordanova has sold her company Plan A for $80 million in a deal involving cash and shares. Plan A, founded almost a decade ago, is engaged in automatic reporting of the impact of business on environmental, social and governance factors – the so-called ESG indicators, which are now mandatory for European companies. The new owner is Diginex – a larger international company with a similar specialization, listed on NASDAQ under the ticker DGNX and with a European center in London. According to Yordanova, the choice of partner was crucial for the future of Plan A and to ensure its long-term development. Yordanova expects the new Plan A to offer expanded ESG capabilities, more efficient supply chain tools, solutions adapted to the specific needs of different industries, and global expansion, including in Asia and the Middle East. The scientific rigor that has distinguished the company since its inception remains a guiding principle. The company has repeatedly attracted funding from various investors, reporting $27 million in revenue in 2023, and $10 million two years earlier. Lyubomila Yordanova remains CEO of Plan A and will continue to develop the company within the Diginex group. Lyubomila is the daughter of Sasha Bezuhanova, one of the most recognizable business figures in Bulgaria, who was the general director of Hewlett-Packard for the country for more than a decade.

The former head of the exploded Midzhur plant near Gorni Lom, Prof. Valeri Mitkov, is to receive 60 thousand leva in compensation. He condemned the prosecution after being acquitted on 3 charges for the incident on October 1, 2014, when 15 people died. Mitkov demanded compensation for non-pecuniary damages of 200 thousand leva, 162 thousand - for attorney's fees, 1320 - for overnight stays in Vidin for the court hearings, and nearly 4700 leva for interest on the deposited cash bail of 20 thousand leva. The deadly explosion occurred at 16.57 in workshop "C" for ammunition disposal. The workshop consists of two buildings that were razed to the ground. At that time, there were about 5600 anti-personnel mines there, delivered the day before. The incident killed 15 people – 13 men and two women, including Prof. Mitkov’s son – Emil. Three others were injured. The plant is owned by the company “Videx”, whose board of directors includes Valeri Mitkov, who is also the majority shareholder, his wife Irina Mitkova and his son Emil Mitkov. Meanwhile, some of the heirs have condemned the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Ecology to pay them compensation, because according to a decision in one of the cases of the Supreme Court of Justice, the state is guilty of having given permission to dismantle anti-personnel mines at the plant, which is extremely dangerous and risky.

The concessionaire of the airports in Burgas and Varna, Fraport ("Fraport Twin Star Airport Management" AD), has launched a large-scale project for the rehabilitation of the runway at Burgas Airport. The investment exceeds 50 million euros, and the renovated facility is expected to enter into operation in May this year. This was announced by the company's CEO Michael Reusch. A complete rehabilitation of the runway will be carried out at Burgas Airport. The project is worth over 50 million euros and is key to the long-term development of the airport. In Varna, investments will be mainly aimed at improving the passenger experience. The construction of a new, modern building for the airport's fire department is also planned, Reusch added.

Trade between EU member states has fallen for the first time in almost a decade outside of the pandemic, European Commission data shows. Trade between the countries as a share of EU GDP fell from 23.5% in 2023 to 22% in 2024, according to a draft of the bloc’s annual single market report seen by the Financial Times. The report is due to be published later this month and is subject to change. It is the first annual decline since 2016, if the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are excluded. At the same time, the time taken to draw up and approve EU-wide standards for goods has increased from 3.2 years in 2023 to four years in 2024. While there have been improvements in some areas, such as the recognition of professional qualifications across the EU and the uptake of digital technologies, the report notes a “clear deterioration” in others. The EU's share of foreign direct investment has fallen by 22% in the past five years, the report says. "Fragmented" national legal rules "continue to make it more difficult and expensive to set up and operate companies across the EU, with no progress so far," it warns.

Venezuela’s economic future is under renewed scrutiny after the US seized President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation just over a week ago. The country has the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves. In 2023, they were estimated at 303 billion barrels, equivalent to around 17% of global reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Venezuela is not a major trading partner of the EU in numerical terms. However, its political importance and potential future economic ties are a separate issue. The share of Venezuelan goods in EU imports from third countries is very small, accounting for only around 0.1% of goods imports in 2024, while EU exports to Venezuela are so low that they are practically recorded as zero, according to data published by Eurostat. In 2024, EU exports to Venezuela amounted to around €784 million, while imports from Venezuela amounted to around €2.16 billion, resulting in a total trade volume of around €2.95 billion. This is more than double the trade volume in 2020, which amounted to around €1.42 billion. And while imports from Venezuela have increased, EU exports have remained at around the same level, resulting in a significant trade surplus in favour of Venezuela. According to the European Commission, the EU is Venezuela's third largest trading partner after the US and China. EU exports to Venezuela in 2024 were mainly machinery and equipment (20.9%), mineral products (20.6%) and chemical products (15%). As for imports, EU purchases from Venezuela are dominated by oil, which accounts for around 70% of total imports. Other important categories include fishery products (9.3%), especially shrimps, and base metals and related products (8%). Spain stands out in EU-Venezuela trade, accounting for 55% of total trade in 2024, according to Eurostat. Spain accounted for 29% of EU exports to Venezuela and 64% of EU imports from the country. In value terms, Spain exported goods worth around €230 million to Venezuela and imported goods worth around €1.38 billion. The country ranks second in EU-Venezuela trade with a 16% share, followed by the Netherlands with 10%. Two other major EU economies, France and Germany, have much smaller trade links with Venezuela, accounting for 5% and 4% respectively. Belgium (4%) and Poland (2%) also account for more than 1% of total EU-Venezuela trade. All other EU member states hold less than 1% of trade with Venezuela. For Bulgaria, specifically, this share is 0.1%, including 0.4% of EU exports to the South American country. According to the European Commission, there are no preferential trade agreements between the EU and Venezuela. Trade relations are regulated by the rules and tariffs of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Venezuela became a full member of the South American trading bloc Mercosur in 2012. However, in 2017, the founding countries of Mercosur suspended Venezuela’s membership indefinitely. As a result, Venezuela is not part of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Turkey, which is a candidate for EU membership, has developed economic relations with Venezuela. According to Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, bilateral trade reached $665 million (€571 million) in 2024. Turkey had wanted to increase this figure to $3 billion (€2.6 billion) before Maduro was detained. Trade in goods and services between the UK and Venezuela amounted to £212 million (€244 million) in the four quarters to the end of the second quarter of 2025.