Bulgaria has slashed its trade deficit (exports FOB - imports CIF) by 42% on the year for the first four months of 2016, the national statistical office NSI announced on Thursday.

The trade deficit for January-April 2016 was BGN 1. 28 B, compared with BGN 2.19 B a year earlier.

For April, Bulgaria recorded a trade deficit of BGN 379.6 M, down from BGN 621.4 in the same month of 2015.

Bulgarian exports FOB fell by 3% year-on-year, decreasing to BGN 14.23 B for the first four months of 2016.

Imports CIF also fell, decreasing by 8% to BGN 15.50 B.

All figures are preliminary as of 9 June 2016, the NSI said.