Unemployment Rate Down to 6.9 percent in June
Bratislava, July 20 (TASR) – The unemployment rate in Slovakia stood at 6.9 percent in June, down by 0.45 percentage points (p.p.) month-on-month and by 2.55 p.p. year-on-year, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (UPSVaR) general director Marian Valentovic announced at a press conference in Bratislava on Thursday with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Jan Richter (Smer-SD) in attendance.
“The results are even better than we had expected a few months ago. All our promises and statements have been met to the fullest. We’ve eventually reached the magical number six in terms of unemployment rate,” said Fico.
The number of jobseekers immediately able to take a job was 187,997 in June, a decrease of 12,394 individuals m-o-m and of 68,618 (26.74 percent) y-o-y.
Furthermore, the unemployment rate calculated from the total number of jobseekers reached 8.14 percent in June, down by 0.55 p.p. m-o-m and by 2.88 p.p. y-o-y. “Never ever in the history of Slovakia has the country reached such a low unemployment rate. No one can question anything. These are absolute figures,” said the premier.
In addition, the total number of jobseekers stood at 221,933 in June, falling by 15,001 individuals m-o-m and by 77,494 individuals y-o-y.
As for the individual regions, all eight regions in Slovakia recorded a decrease in the unemployment rate in June, with Banska Bystrica region seeing the most significant drop.
On the district level, the unemployment rate was down in 73 districts in Slovakia in June, while an increase was recorded in five districts. Labour offices reported 61,995 job vacancies in late June. “I’m pleased that unemployment in Poltar district has fallen by as many as 8.41 p.p. over the last two years. There’s still work to do, however. We have districts, such as Rimavska Sobota, where the unemployment rate exceeds 20 percent,” said the prime minister, adding that the Government is preparing measures in this regard.
The Government wants to introduce the promised bonuses for night work or work during weekends. “The minister [Richter] is searching for possibilities to support labour mobility as well. Moreover, we also expect employers to do something in this regard,” added Fico.
