MINISTER: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CURBS UNEMPLOYMENT GROWTH

/ARKA/
September 2, 2009
YEREVAN

On Wednesday, Armenian Labor and Social Affairs Minister Gevork
Petrosyan, summarizing the results of Armenian-Swedish-Lithuanian
program aimed at improvement of labor market policy, said that the
government has managed to curb unemployment growth in the country.

He told journalists that the government has taken steps to prevent
job cuts.

The minister said that the government’s efforts have produced certain
effect – job cuts are unlikely in the coming months.

He said that the government has allocated funds for combating
unemployment in Syunik, Armenian province, and intends to continue
its policy.

"Despite the global recession, the government makes every effort to
prevent cuts, since their consequences are heavier."

Petrosyan also said that Armenia, like other countries, faces
challenges hobbling optimization of labor market.

Thing is that employment of many high-qualified specialists is
difficult because of insufficient jobs in Armenia.

Armenian Employment Agency says unemployment grew 0.7% by August 1,
2009, compared with the same date a year earlier, and reached 7%.

The highest unemployment rate was recorded in Shirak (12.5%), Lori
(12.0%) and Syunik 11.9%.

The agency says that it had 101,000 registered jobseekers in July 2009.

Of them, 86,500 were completely jobless.

According to the agency, 84,700 have the state of unemployed.