Registered unemployment increasing in ChechnyaTimur Aliyev, North Caucasus – Registered unemployment numbers are on the rise in Chechnya, according to Shamsutdin Mukayev of the Federal State Employment Service.
According to official figures, there were 33,000 people out of work in 2001 and 190,000 in 2002, but this year the number has jumped to almost 300,000.
Mukayev states there is a lack of vacancies in the local labor market that has resulted in many people receiving unemployment benefits. “The jobless circle is widening each day with college and vocational school graduates unable to find jobs. Meanwhile, no new ones are being created in Chechen agriculture or industry.”
“We tried easing the unemployment situation by inviting them to perform public works such as cleaning up the environment and working part-time in factories,” he added.
However, he stressed that these are only temporary measures that by no means solve the overall problem. “Fundamental changes are necessary, particularly in reconstructing the devastated Chechen economy.”
(O/E,T) |
