Unemployment in Slovakia grew year-on-year for the second consecutive quarter. Compared to the first quarter of 2011, it increased by 2.2 percent, i.e. by 8,100 to 380,300 people. As the Slovak Statistics Office (ŠÚ) reported on Wednesday, June 6, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year to 14.1 percent. Among women, it increased by 0.5 percentage points to 14.4 percent and among men, it fell by 0.2 percentage points to 13.8 percent.
"The general unemployment situation was influenced by the fact that 63.3 percent of the unemployed have been jobless for more than a year. Of these, 70.5 percent were unemployed for more than two years," the SITA newswire quoted the Statistics Office. The number of short-term unemployed increased by 9,600 to 139,400. The number of people unemployed for more than one year on the contrary slightly decreased by 1,500 to 240,900 people.
Most of the unemployed last worked in industry. However, the Statistics Office in this sector also reported the largest decline in the unemployed with 10,100 people. "The highest increase in unemployment was in the transport and building sectors," said Statistics Office. Unemployment grew most in the Trnava Region, up by 10.4 percent. Conversely, the number of jobless fell in Žilina, Bratislava and Prešov. The situation is still least favorable in eastern Slovakia. The Košice Region was responsible for 20 percent of Slovakia's unemployment followed by, Prešov Region by 18.3 percent. These two counties also showed the highest levels of unemployment.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
