Sofia Restaurant Prices Surge 110% in a Decade, Near Central Europe Levels

Restaurant and café prices in Bulgaria have increased sharply over the past decade, rising by close to 110%, according to analysis by the Institute for Market Economics. Economist Adrian Nikolov pointed out that this growth significantly outpaces the rise in key cost components such as labor, electricity and raw materials, based on official data compiled for the National Statistical Institute. He noted that whenever the sector calls for preferential tax treatment, it raises questions about why an industry with such a substantial price increase continues to seek different conditions compared to the rest of the economy....