ECONOMY

Jobless climb to 26.6 percent

Unemployment has started climbing again in Greece, as it gained half a percentage point to reach 26.6 percent in the first quarter of the year, from 26.1 percent in the last quarter of 2014, according to data presented on Thursday by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).

Atn end-March the number of people with jobs amounted to 3,504,446 while the unemployed numbered 1,272,541, as employment posted a decline of 0.9 percent on a quarterly basis and the number of jobless rose by 2.1 percent.

Compared with 12 months earlier, there were 5.2 percent fewer unemployed individuals, as the jobless rate at the time had stood at 27.8 percent, one of the highest ever in the country.

Crucially, almost one in every four jobless Greeks (23.2 percent) have never worked in the past, while the long-term unemployed, seeking work for at least one year, account for 71.6 percent.

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