Bulgaria's Deprivation Rate Drops but Still Among Highest in EU

According to the latest Eurostat data published today, 6.8% of the European Union's population experienced severe material and social deprivation in 2023, a slight increase from 6.7% in 2022. The data highlights significant disparities among EU countries.

In 2023, Romania had the highest proportion of citizens facing severe deprivation at 19.8%, followed by Bulgaria at 18%, Greece at 13.5%, Hungary at 10.4%, and Spain at 9%. Conversely, Slovenia reported the lowest level of deprivation at 2%, with Cyprus at 2.4%, and Sweden, Luxembourg, and Estonia each at 2.5%.

In Bulgaria, the percentage of people experiencing severe material and social deprivation decreased to 18% in 2023 from 18.7% in 2022. This marks a significant improvement over the past nine years, with the share halving from 36.8% in 2015 to 18% in 2023. At the beginning of this period, Bulgaria had the highest rate of deprivation in the EU, followed by Romania and Hungary.