Richter: Unemployment Now Lowest in Seven Years

Richter: Unemployment Now Lowest in Seven Years

Bratislava, March 18 (TASR) – Slovakia is now achieving the most positive results both in unemployment and the number of employed people in the past seven years, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Jan Richter stated at a press conference on

While the unemployment rate stood at 10.09 percent in February, it’s quite realistic to squeeze it even further this year – to around 9 percent. The current unemployment rate in the eurozone is 10.3 percent and in the EU28 it is 8.9 percent.

With the country’s economic growth continuing, all prognoses forecast the positive trend to be maintained throughout this year. “All conditions for a policy of employment growth are in place and, of course, for a further drop in unemployment. I personally believe that we can approach the 9-percent level in unemployment in 2016,” said the labour minister.

Richter further reported that registered unemployment has dropped by almost 89,000 people since he assumed office four years ago, while the overall unemployment has fallen by almost 72,000 people. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed people below the age of 29 has decreased by almost 46,000, and the number of long-term unemployed has been reduced by 22,000.