April 21 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's industrial output rose by 14.4% year-on-year in February, the highest growth rate among EU member states in Southeast Europe (SEE) and the third-highest in the bloc after Lithuania and Poland, the European statistical office said on Thursday.
This increase came against the background of a 3% annual rise in industrial production in the 27-member EU, Eurostat said in a statement.
Month-on-month, Bulgaria's industrial output slipped 0.8% whereas that in the EU as a whole edged up 0.6% in February.
Amongst EU member states in Southeast Europe (SEE), Croatia led in terms of industrial output growth on a monthly comparison basis, with an increase of 2.7%, the data showed. Slovenia posted the largest monthly decline in industrial production in February, of 8.3%, and was also the only SEE EU member state to see a decline in industrial output on an annual comparison basis.
Elsewhere in SEE, Greece posted a 5% rise in industrial production year-on-year in February.
Following are figures for industrial output growth in the EU member states in SEE (pct change):
|
Feb y/y |
Feb m/m |
Bulgaria |
14.4 |
-0.8 |
Croatia |
4.1 |
2.7 |
Greece |
5.0 |
1.6 |
Romania |
0.6 |
-1.0 |
Slovenia |
-1.2 |
-8.3 |
EU average |
3.0 |
0.6 |