The average unemployment rate for 2012 reached 13.59 percent, which represents an increase of 0.43 percent in comparison to the year before, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Jan Richter informed on Tuesday. The highest figure of people without jobs was reported in the Banská Bystrica region. The lowest unemployment rate was traditionally found in the Bratislava region.
Opposition parties are holding the Government responsible for the increase of unemployment. According to them, the Government should cut taxes and payroll deductions. Moreover, they suggest the Labour Code should be more flexible. The minister however argues that the global crisis is to be blamed for the situation.
Historically, from 1994 until 2013, Slovakia’s Unemployment Rate averaged 14.27 Percent reaching an all time high of 19.70 Percent in March of 2001, and a record low of 8.70 Percent in December of 2008. At the moment 14.40 percent of people currently have no job.
Lucia Pazičová
