(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 APR - Bulgaria has registered a significant drop in the severe material deprivation rate in 2017, but it remains the EU country with the largest share of people severely materially deprived, data published by Eurostat show today.

Eurostat said that between 2016 and 2017 the largest decreases in the severe material deprivation rate were registered in Romania (from 23.8% in 2016 to 19.4% in 2017), followed by Italy (from 12.1% to 9.2%), Croatia (from 12.5% to 10.3%), Bulgaria (from 31.9% to 30.0%) and Cyprus (from 13.6% to 11.7%).

Despite the decline in the rate, Bulgaria still registered the highest share of severe material deprivation, with 30% in 2017, followed by Greece (21.1%), Romania (19.4%) and Hungary (14.5%).

Eurostat said that 6.7% of the population (around 33 million people) in the EU were severely materially deprived, down from 7.5% in 2016 and from its peak in 2012 (9.9%).

People are severely materially deprived, Eurostat noted, if they cannot afford at least four of the following items: pay their bills on time; keep their home adequately warm; face unexpected expenses; eat meat/fish regularly/equivalent vegetarian meal; take a one week holiday; a TV; a washing machine; a car; a telephone. (ANSA).