Bulgaria's seasonally-adjusted industrial output rose by 16.9% year-on-year in April, the highest growth rate among EU member states in Southeast Europe (SEE) and the third-highest in the whole bloc after Lithuania and Denmark, the European statistical office said.
The positive performance in Bulgaria came about as industrial production in the 27-member EU inched up 0.3% on the year in April, Eurostat said in a statement on Wednesday.
Month-on-month, Bulgaria's industrial output went down 0.4% whereas in the EU as a whole, it edged up 0.3% in the fourth month of 2022.
Amongst EU members from SEE, Romania and Slovenia recorded the only increases in industrial production on a monthly comparison basis, with 0.6% and 0.4% respectively.
Greece posted the largest monthly drop in industrial production in April, of 7.4%, followed by Croatia with a 1.5% decline.
In yearly terms, Greece was the biggest laggard in industrial output, followed by Romania where, however, industrial output improved on a monthly basis.
Slovenia recorded the second-highest annual positive industrial output value across the SEE region, with a 2.1% increase in April.
Following are figures for industrial output growth in the EU member states in SEE (pct change):
April y/y April m/m Bulgaria 16.9 -0.4 Croatia -1.4 -1.5 Greece -4.6 -7.4 Romania -6.9 0.6 Slovenia 2.1 0.4 EU average -0.5 0.3