Unemployment in Bulgaria in Q2 2013 was 12.9% – NSI

Unemployment in Bulgaria was 12.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2013, representing 437 300 people, according to National Statistical Institute (NSI) figures released on October 1.

The total number of employed people aged 15 or over in Q2 2013 was 2 940 200.

According to the NSI, unemployment in Bulgaria in 2010 was 10.2 per cent; in 2011, 11.3 per cent; and in 2012, 12.3 per cent.

Unemployment in Q2 2012 was 12.3 per cent, the NSI said.

Eurostat figures released on October 1 said that unemployment in Bulgaria in August 2013 was 13 per cent, up from 12.3 per cent in August 2012.

In the 17-member euro zone, seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 12 per cent in August 2013, stable compared with July.

Across the 29-member EU, unemployment was10.9 per cent, also stable compared with July. In both zones, rates have risen compared with August 2012, when they were 11.5 per cent and 10.6 per cent, respectively.

In August 2013, 26.595 million men and women were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 19.178 million were in the euro area.

Compared with July 2013, the number of unemployed people remained nearly stable in both the EU28 and the euro area. Compared with August 2012, unemployment rose by 882 000 in the EU28 and by 895 000 in the euro area.

Among EU countries, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.9 per cent), Germany (5.2 per cent) and Luxembourg (5.8 per cent), and the highest in Greece (27.9 per cent in June 2013) and Spain (26.2 per cent).

Compared with a year ago, unemployment increased in 16 EU member states, fell in 11 and remained stable in one, Poland.

The highest increases were registered in Cyprus (12.3 per cent to 16.9 per cent) and Greece (24.6 per cent to 27.9 per cent between June 2012 and June 2013).

The largest decreases were observed in Latvia (15.6 per cent to 11.4 per cent between the second quarters of 2012 and 2013) and Estonia (10.1 per cent to 7.9 per cent between July 2012 and July 2013).

Bulgaria’s NSI said that its September survey had found that 9.2 per cent of industry enterprises said that their operations were impeded by labour shortages.

According to the institute, in June 2013 the average salary in Bulgaria was 789 leva (about 394 euro), 3.3 per cent higher than in June 2012.

(Image: Sergio Roberto Bichara/sxc.hu)

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