Highest unemployment registered in Yambol, Targovishte, Shumen regions

The highest unemployment has been registered in the regions of Yambol, Targovishte and Shumen and in separate municipalities in the region of Blagoevgrad, said the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Totyu Mladenov in an interview .
“The situation at the labor market is different in different regions. By the end of December the unemployment rate is 9.13% or about 338 thousand people. The average unemployment annual level for 2009 is 7.59%. Our prognoses by the end of January based on the data of the National Employment Agency are the unemployment rate will reach 8.9% and we expect the average level for 2010 to reach 11.4%, Minister Mladenov said.
“We will try to provide work for 6 700 during the H1 of the year under the From Social Support to Work program, for which BGN 15 mln are provided. Urgent activities have been provided for 9 100 people for the first months of 2010. Thus after April 1, when the amendments to the Social Support Act come into force, we will give opportunities to mayors and employers about 50 000 people more to work in the field of social services,” Minister Mladenov said.
He noted that after April 1 it is envisaged people who get social allowances to start working for about 15 days per month.