Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria up by 46.9% to nearly EUR 1.4 bln by end-May

The net flows of foreign direct investment in Bulgaria recorded a positive value of EUR 1,393.7 million (1.2% of GDP) in January – May 2025, growing by EUR 445 million (46.9%) from January – May 2024 (positive value of EUR 948.7 million, 0.9% of GDP) the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported citing the Bulgarian National Bank. Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria recorded a net inflow of EUR 331.3 million in May 2025, compared with an inflow of EUR 72.9 million in May 2024.

Real estate investments of non-residents recorded a net outflow of EUR 8.7 million, compared with a negative value of EUR 1.3 million in January – May 2024.

Equity (acquisition/disposal of shares and equities in cash and contributions in kind by non-residents in/from the capital and reserves of Bulgarian enterprises, and receipts/payments from/for real estate deals in the country) recorded a positive value of EUR 331.1 million in January – May 2025, growing by EUR 157.4 million from a positive value of EUR 173.7 million in January – May 2024.

Reinvestment of earnings (the share of non-residents in the undistributed earnings/ loss of the enterprise based on preliminary profit and loss data) was estimated at a positive value of EUR 1,351.2 million, compared with a positive value of EUR 916.5 million in January – May 2024.

The net flow on debt instruments (the change in net liabilities between affiliated enterprises on financial loans, suppliers’ credits and debt securities) recorded a negative value of EUR 288.6 million in January – May 2025, compared with a negative value of EUR 141.4 million in January – May 2024.

According to preliminary data, direct investment abroad for January – May 2025 totalled EUR 105.6 million (0.1% of GDP), compared with EUR 448.3 million (0.4% of GDP) in the same period of 2024. It recorded a positive value of EUR 5.8 million in May 2025, compared with a positive value of EUR 69.5 million in May 2024.

According to preliminary data, the stocks of foreign direct investment in Bulgaria stood at EUR 59,167.4 million at end-March 2025, compared with EUR 56,255.2 million at end-March 2024. Equity and reinvestment of earnings totalled EUR 51,352.5 million, growing by EUR 3,039.7 million (6.3%) from EUR 48,312.8 million at end-March 2024. Debt instruments amounted to EUR 7,815 million, dropping by EUR 127.3 (1.6%) million from end-March 2024 (EUR 7,942.3 million).

The stocks of direct investment abroad stood at EUR 4,611.7 million at end-March 2025, growing by EUR 240.3 million (5.5%) from EUR 4,371.4 million at end-March 2024.