Preliminary data from Eurostat indicates that annual inflation in Bulgaria reached 6.2% in April 2026, marking the highest rate among Euro area countries. Concurrently, inflation across the Eurozone as a whole is projected to rise for the fourth consecutive month, reaching 3.0% in April from 2.6% in March. Among the Euro area members, which included Bulgaria since January 1, 2026, Lithuania recorded the highest rates after Bulgaria (4.9%), followed by Greece (4.6%), Belgium (4.3%), and Slovakia (4.0%).
The lowest rates were reported in Finland (2.3%) and Malta (2.4%), while the Netherlands and France both reported 2.5%. Examining the main drivers of inflation in the Euro area, energy is anticipated to show the largest annual increase in April at 10.9%, up from 5.1% in March. This was followed by services (3.0% versus 3.2% in March), food, alcohol and tobacco (2.5% compared to 2.4%), and non-energy industrial goods (0.8% versus 0.7%).
Separately, Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) reported a flash estimate on Wednesday, projecting that monthly inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, would hit 2.0%, with the annual rate standing at 7.1% for April 2026. This flash data offers preliminary insight into price dynamics, allowing for a direct comparison with the other 20 Euro area countries following Bulgaria’s accession to the monetary union. It is noted that the NSI data utilize CPI measurements, while Eurostat’s figures are based on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices.
Topics: #inflation #annual #april
Eurostat preliminary data indicates that annual inflation in Bulgaria reached 6.2% in April 2026