More than half of Bulgarians fear economic difficulties in 2022, data of a global survey conducted by Gallup International between October and December indicate. Bulgaria is among the top 5 pessimists, together with Turkey, Afghanistan, Poland and Czechia.

Only 6% of Bulgarians expect economic prosperity for their country in the year to come, while 64% of the polled are of the opposite opinion. 19% of the respondents expect the upcoming year to be the same in terms of economic prosperity. Only 15% of the respondents are expecting a better year and 48% of the polled are expecting a worse year. Thus, Bulgaria places second after Turkey and ahead of Afghanistan, but this country is not far from the EU average. 

Sociologists from Gallup International report a slight increase in personal happiness. 45% of Bulgarians consider themselves happy or very happy. 10% of the respondents consider themselves unhappy or very unhappy. 43% of the polled feel neither happy nor unhappy and 2% of the respondents are undecided.

 According to Gallup International, despite the pandemic and economic difficulties, personal happiness prevails. Latin America, Africa and East Asia are among the happiest places in the world, while Europe, the Middle East and Russia are on the gloomier side.