Bulgaria's consumer prices rose by 18.7% on an annual basis in September from an increase of 17.7% in August, reaching a new 24-year high, as energy and food prices continue to increase, data from the statistics office showed on Monday.

Consumer prices rose 1.2% in September on a monthly basis, flat on a 1.2% increase a month earlier, the statistics office said. Under the EU-harmonised index consumer price inflation was 15.6% on the year in September. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 0.7%, data showed.

The finance ministry sees the war in Ukraine and the imposed sanctions on Russia speeding the annual inflation in the Balkan country to 12.6% this year, while the central bank sees inflation at 14.9%. CONSUMER PRICE SEPT 2022 AUGUST 2022 SEPT 2021 INFLATION M/M % CHANGE +1.2 +1.2 +0.4 Y/Y % CHANGE +18.7 +17.7 +4.8 (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova)