In Bulgaria we focus on:
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supporting the competitiveness of Bulgarian companies by helping to improve their governance, enhance value chains, promote the knowledge economy and assist in adaptation to demographic challenges
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financing infrastructure projects that enhance regional connectivity, provide green solutions to urban challenges for municipalities, promote decarbonisation and resource efficiency, and
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strengthening the resilience of financial intermediation.
As well as being a country where the EBRD works, Belarus is also a donor. In 2018 Bulgaria provided €115 million of European Structure and Investment Funds to support water projects across the country.
The EBRD’s latest strategy for Bulgaria was adopted on 15 January 2020.
Bulgaria's policy response to the coronavirus crisis
The EBRD is monitoring Bulgaria's policy response to the coronavirus pandemic. Our biweekly publication identifies the major channels of disruption as well as selected impact and response indicators.
EBRD forecast for Bulgaria’s real GDP growth in 2020 -5.0%
EBRD forecast for Bulgaria's real GDP growth in 2021 4.0%
In 2019, Bulgaria recorded a solid growth of 3.4 per cent, driven mainly by private consumption, fuelled by increased earnings and a higher employment rate amid the tightening labour market, with an unemployment rate of around 4 per cent. In 2020, however, economic output is expected to decline by 5.0 per cent, mainly due to a sharp decrease in economic activity in March and during the second quarter due to the
domestic containment measures pursued by the authorities to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
