04.02.2010

Under the official register of government debt kept by the Ministry of Finance, as of the end of December the latter amounted to EUR 4 828,5 million of which EUR 1 538,7 million domestic government debt and EUR 3 289,8 million external government debt. The debt has increased by around EUR 34,7 million in nominal terms compared to the previous month. The debt increase is due mainly to exchange rate differences.

At the end of the reported period the government debt/ GDP* ratio is 14,8%, the increase being 0.1 percentage points compared to November. This indicator comprises external government debt - 10,1%, and domestic government debt - 4,7% of GDP.

In the government debt structure at the end of the period domestic debt amounted to 31,9%, and external debt - 68,1%.

At the end of December the currency structure of the debt was as follows:

- 18% - in US$;

- 54,7% - in Euro;

- 24,5% - in BGN;

- 2,8% - in other currencies.

The debt payments made in December amount to BGN 95 million.

As regards the currency composition of payments since the beginning of the year, the greatest is the BGN share - 49,9%, followed by those in Euro - 36,7%, and in US$  - 11,7%.

The government guaranteed debt in December was EUR 612 million.

It has decreased by around EUR 14,1 million in nominal terms compared to the end of the previous month. The decrease of the government guaranteed debt is due mainly to the payments made during the month. The government guaranteed debt/GDP ratio is 1,9%.

The bulletin is published in Government Debt and Financial Markets/Statistics section.

       * Forecast GDP data for 2009.