AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 30, 2009 Thursday

NEARLY 60% OF ABLE-BODIED ARMENIANS UNEMPLOYED – REPORT

58% of able-bodied population in Armenia is unemployed. As of April 1,
the number of jobless citizens has increased by 99,000 and 20.7% of
them are youths, according to the Kavkazskiy Uzel (Caucasus Joint)
website. Artak Simonian, deputy head of Armenias employment service,
has said unemployment is a pressing problem particularly in the South
Caucasus republics regions. The number of job-seekers in the country
has risen 10% in comparison with 2008. According to World Bank
estimates, 172,000 more people will be left without jobs in the
country of 3.5 million in 2009 and 2010. The number of poor people
will total 906,000. The WBs report also says that the Armenian
governments efforts to reduce poverty are inefficient.