site.btaUnemployment Has Reached Pre-crisis Levels - Minister

Sofia, December 12 (BTA) - The unemployment has reached the levels before the crisis, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Biser Petkov said at a forum "Employer of the Year - 2017" organized by the Employment Agency.

The registered average monthly unemployment in the ten months of the year is 7.8 per cent as this level was last reached in 2009. This positive tendency is confirmed by the National Statistical Institute which reported unemployment of 5.8 per cent in the third quarter of the year. The Minister also said that an increase of employment is registered in the outgoing 2017. In January-October, 208 thousand unemployed found jobs as 88 per cent are in non-subsidiary employment. However, there are still outstanding challenges, such as the lack of qualified workers and structural problems of employment.