UNEMPLOYMENT in Slovakia rose by 20,000 in 2004. The jobless rate reached 18.1 percent or a total 480, 700 people, the daily SME reported.
Paradoxically,the number of employed people reached a four-year high in 2004 with 2.17 million working people.
Peter Mach, head of the national Statistics Office, explained the anomaly by the demographic trend in the country.
"Currently, [people born in] the years of strongest demographic growth are arriving on the job market," he said.
Since the total number of Slovaks aged between 18 and 65 years is growing, the effect is similtaneous growth in both employment and unemployment .
The Statistics Office expects the unemployment rate in 2005 to fall to 17.9 percent.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
