Unemployment Rate in Bulgaria Reaches 11.3% in 2013

Average unemployment rates in Bulgaria in 2013 were 11.3%, and the average rate of unemployed in the country was 371 380 per month, the National Statistics Institute (NSI) reports.

A substantial share of the unemployed in Bulgaria's employment offices were periodically released employed people without a mass lay offs procedure, mainly from small and medium companies.

The average salary in 2013 was BGN 808 and has increased by BGN 42 compared to 2012 or with 5.5%, a report by the NSI states.

The average salary in the public sector last year was BGN 839,75 and in the private sector - 797.75. The trend for the public sector average salary to be higher than that in the private sector continues, with a difference of 5.3%.

From the 1st of January 2013 a new minimum wage rate was set at BGN 310. The BGN 20 raise is an increase of 6.9% compared to its former value of BGN 290.

Last year, pensions continued to be the second most important income factor for Bulgarian households. They make up 25.5% of households' collective income, compared to their 26.7% share in the previous year. Overall, the social transfers - pensions, child and social benefits, scholarships and unemployment benefits make up 28.5% of last year's income per person.

In the autumn of 2013 Bulgarian households spent BGN 4 466 per person, which was 10.1% more than in 2012. BGN 1480 were spent on food per person in the household. The relative share of food expenditure among the total expenditures dropped from 33.4% in 2012 to 33.2% last year.

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