Bulgarian companies moderately optimistic about 2016: survey

Bulgarian companies are moderately optimistic about their business development in 2016 but worried about the prices of energy and the lack of skilled workers, a survey showed on Wednesday.

"In general, the evaluation shows that there is a moderate optimism about 2016, without expectations for sharp jumps up or down," said Tsvetan Simeonov, president of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), while presenting the survey conducted by his organization.

The balance figures, obtained by deducting the percentage of companies giving a negative response from the percentage of companies giving a positive response, showed that 34.8 percent of those polled expect improvement in business climate.

Meanwhile, 34.4 percent of companies expect an increase in export revenues and 25.3 percent predict growth of investments, while 15.9 percent foresee revenue growth in domestic sales, and 14.8 percent plan to hire more employees in 2016, the balance figures showed.

However, according to the survey conducted among 492 Bulgarian company members of the BCCI, prices of energy and raw materials could hamper 48 percent of them in 2016, and 33 percent expect difficulties in recruiting skilled workers.

Bulgaria needs more reforms aimed at linking education with business, because things have come to a pass, Simeonov said.

The BCCI's survey was a part of the 23rd annual qualitative survey of business expectations across Europe, coordinated by EUROCHAMBRES, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Endit