Unemployment in Bulgaria in September 2020 was 6.2% – Eurostat
Unemployment in Bulgaria in September 2020 was 6.2 per cent, European Union statistics agency Eurostat said on October 30, citing seasonally-adjusted figures.
The figure was unchanged from August 2020 and up from four per cent in September 2019.
Eurostat estimated that the 6.2 per cent unemployment figure in Bulgaria represented about 198 000 people, compared with 134 000 in September 2019.
As the Covid-19 crisis affected Bulgaria’s job market and with Bulgarians who had been working abroad returning to the country, unemployment in Bulgaria rose to six per cent in June 2020, 6.1 per cent in July and 6.2 per cent in August.
The increase in youth unemployment in Bulgaria was more drastic.
In September 2019, youth unemployment in Bulgaria was 8.2 per cent, representing an estimated 13 000 under-25s. In September 2020, the figure was 18.3 per cent, representing 26 000 under-25s, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat said that in September 2020, the euro zone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.3 per cent, stable compared with August 2020 and up from 7.5 per cent in September 2019.
The EU unemployment rate was 7.5 per cent in September 2020, stable compared with August 2020 and up from 6.6 per cent in September 2019.
Eurostat estimated that 15.990 million men and women in the EU, of whom 13.612 million in the euro zone, were unemployed in September 2020.
Compared with August 2020, the number of unemployed people increased by 42 000 in the EU and by 75 000 in the euro zone. Compared with September 2019, unemployment rose by 1.811 million in the EU and by 1.376 million in the euro zone
In September 2020, 2.995 million people under 25 were unemployed in the EU, of whom 2.451 million were in the euro zone.
In September 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 17.1 per cent in the EU and 17.6 per cent in the euro zone, down from 17.8 per cent and 18.3 per cent respectively in the previous month.
Compared with August 2020, youth unemployment decreased by 97 000 in the EU and by 77 000 in the euro zone.
“This decrease should be interpreted with caution: it might be explained by some young persons not actively seeking employment until the situation improves in the labour market,” Eurostat said.
Compared with September 2019, youth unemployment increased by 259 000 in the EU and by 202 000 in the euro zone.
(Photo: Michael Maechtlinger/freeimages.com)
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