Jobless rate in Bulgaria decreases
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria’s jobless rate fell to a 15-year low of 9.18 percent in June, down from 9.59 percent in May, mainly due to a seasonal increase in job offerings, the Labor Ministry said yesterday. It was the lowest unemployment rate since August of 1991, when it stood at 9.09 percent. The ministry said 340,059 people were without jobs in June, down by 15,251 from the previous month and 71,257 less when compared to the same month a year earlier. New job offerings on the primary market were 13,446, mainly in the private sector, which offered 87 percent of the jobs. The processing industry, tourism, construction and agriculture were the main sectors to look for new employees, the Labor Ministry said in a statement. The Socialist-led government has pledged to create around 240,000 new jobs over the four years of its mandate. The unemployment rate has slowly been falling in the last few years mainly due to government-funded programs and seasonal jobs.
