Bulgaria's trade deficit in January-September 2007 stood at 9,900 mln leva at FOB
prices, while the trade deficit at export FOB-import CIF prices added up to 11,400 mln leva, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) on Tuesday.

Imports at CIF prices totaled 30,400 mln leva, a 17.8 per cent increase year-on-year.

Exports stood at 19,000 mln leva, a 9 per cent increase year-on-year.

NSI reports a 14.3 per cent growth in exports totaling 49,000 mln leva in January-September 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, and an 18.5 per cent increase in imports (CIF).

Bulgaria's main partners in trade are Turkey, Italy, Russia, Greece and Belgium, followed by significant partners like France, Romania, Serbia, Spain and the United States. More than 66 per cent of the Bulgarian goods were exported to these countries.

Russia, Germany and Italy are Bulgaria's main partners in imports, the value of goods imported from them accounting for more than one-third of this country's total imports.