BULGARIA'S TRADE TURNOVER SHRINKS 30% IN 2009
The volume of imports exceeded exports by nearly 42%
Bulgaria's foreign trade turnover amounted to BGN 55.7 billion in 2009, down 29.3% year on year, preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute show. Exports dropped 22.5% to BGN 23 billion, imports slumped 33.4% to BGN 32.7 billion.
The volume of imports exceeded exports by nearly 42%. Bulgaria's trade balance showed a gap for each month of 2009. At the end of the year the deficit stood at BGN 9.6 billion, decreasing nearly 50% year on year.
The EU remained Bulgaria's key trade partner. It accounted for more than 64% of Bulgaria's exports and 60.2% of the imports.
Trade with third countries declined 36%. Russia and Turkey were the main third-country partners with about 40% of the turnover.
