The Bulgarian National Bank reported a notable increase in the net inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Bulgaria, reaching approximately 3.49 billion euros ($3.8 billion) in the period of January to November, compared to 2.56 billion euros in the same period the previous year. The net FDI inflow for the first eleven months of 2023, calculated according to the directional principle, accounted for 3.6% of Bulgaria’s estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year, as per preliminary data.
The 2023 figure represents a slight increase from the same period in 2022 when the net FDI inflow into Bulgaria constituted 3% of the year’s GDP. In November alone, the net FDI inflow was reported at 83.7 million euros, down from 349.1 million euros in the corresponding month of the previous year.
During the review period, the Netherlands emerged as the leading contributor to Bulgaria’s net FDI inflow, amounting to 752.7 million euros. Belgium and Switzerland followed, with net inflows of 311.6 million euros and 272.7 million euros, respectively. In contrast, net outflows were directed towards Israel (17.2 million euros) and Russia (16.8 million euros).
The increase in FDI inflow suggests growing investor confidence in Bulgaria’s economic environment, contributing to the nation’s ongoing economic development.
