Unemployment in Bulgaria in October 2018 was 5.4% – Eurostat
Unemployment in Bulgaria in October was 5.4 per cent, a slight increase after three consecutive months when it was 5.3 per cent, and down from the 5.9 per cent reported in October 2017, according to figures released by EU statistics agency Eurostat.
The October 2018 unemployment figure in Bulgaria represented about 177 000 people, down from 197 000 in October 2017, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat’s figures show Bulgaria was below the EU average unemployment for the latest time in several months.
Youth unemployment in Bulgaria was 11.9 per cent, marginally down from the 12 per cent reported in October 2017.
The euro zone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.1 per cent in October 2018, stable compared with September 2018 and down from 8.8 per cent in October 2017. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since November 2008.
The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent in October 2018, stable compared with September 2018 and down from 7.4 per cent in October 2017. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.
Compared with October 2017, unemployment fell by 1.523 million in the EU28 and by 1.121 million in the euro area.
Among EU countries, the lowest unemployment rates in October 2018 were recorded in Czech Republic(2.2 per cent) and Germany (3.3 per cent). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (18.9 per cent in August 2018) and Spain (14.8 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in all EU countries.
The largest decreases were registered in Croatia (from 10.2 per cent to 8.1 per cent), Greece (from 20.8 per cent to 18.9 per cent between August 2017 and August 2018) Spain (from 16.6 per cent to 14.8 per cent) and Portugal (from 8.4 per cent to 6.7 per cent).
In October 2018, 3.468 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.503 million were in the euro area.
Compared with October 2017, youth unemployment decreased by 215 000 in the EU28 and by 78 000 in the euro area.
In October 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 15.3 per cent in the EU28 and 17.3 per cent in the euro area, compared with 16.3 per cent and 18.1 per cent respectively in October 2017.
In October 2018, the lowest rates were observed in Czech Republic(5.2 per cent), Germany (6.2 per cent) and the Netherlands (7.2 per cent), while the highest were recorded in Greece (36.8 per cent in August 2018), Spain (34.9 per cent) and Italy (32.5 per cent), Eurostat said.
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