Bulgaria’s External Debt Rises 16% to €50.8B

Bulgaria’s gross external debt reached €50.83 billion by the end of May 2025, a 16% year-on-year increase, according to data released by the Bulgarian National Bank on Wednesday. This equals 45.3% of the country’s projected GDP, up from 42.2% a year earlier, CE Report quotes BTA

Short-term liabilities stood at €8.21 billion (7.3% of GDP), while long-term debt rose 18.2% to €42.62 billion (38% of GDP). About 65% of the debt has a remaining maturity over one year, and nearly 80% is euro-denominated.

Government sector debt surged 50.2% to €15.6 billion (13.9% of GDP), while the central bank’s liabilities declined slightly. External debt held by banks and other monetary institutions rose 22.4% to €7.63 billion, and other sectors held €12.69 billion.