In 2020, 70,000 Bulgarians, or 1% of the population, owned 18.3% of the gross domestic product, which is equal to more than EUR 11.25 billion. In 2005, they owned 11.2% of the GDP, or EUR 2.4 billion. The wealth of the richest Bulgarians rose five times in the space of 15 years. In 2005, the richest 10% of the population owned 34.6% of the GDP, whereas in 2020, they owned 43.6%.

In 2020, 50% of the poorest Bulgarians owned 19.6% of the country’s GDP. Fifteen years later, they owned only 16.4% of the GDP. The concentration of financial resource in fewer people hampers economic growth and undermines competition, Lyuboslav Kostov, Director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research said for “24 Chassa” newspaper.