March 23 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria repaid 1.165 billion euro ($1.27 billion) in principal and interest on a seven-year Eurobond that matured on March 21, the finance ministry said.
The payment comprised Eurobond principal of 1.144 billion euro and the last payable interest coupon of 21.45 million euro, the finance ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The redeemed bond was part of euro-denominated sovereign debt paper issued in two tranches in March 2016 - seven-year and 12-year. The finance ministry added that it also made a regular interest payment of 25.5 million euro due on the 12-year tranche.
The finance ministry also said it ordered the payment of 54.38 million euro of regular interest coupons under 12-year and 20-year bonds issued on March 26, 2015 on the international capital markets.
Thus, the total amount of payments in March under the Eurobonds issued in 2015 and 2016 stands at some 1.245 billion euro, of which 1.144 billion euro in principal and coupon payments of some 101.3 million.
Following the transactions, Bulgaria's government debt decreased to 36.8 billion levs ($20.5 billion/18.8 billion euro) as of end-March from 39.1 billion levs at the end of February, the finance ministry said.
($ = 0.9186 euro)