Hungary jobless rate falls to 4.3pc

Budapest, February 27 (MTI) – Hungary’s rolling average three-month jobless rate reached 4.3 percent in November-January, dropping from 4.4 percent in the previous period and 6.2 percent in the same period a year earlier, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Monday.

The rate covers unemployment among those between the ages of 15 and 74.

In absolute terms, there were 197,600 unemployed in Hungary in November-January, 7,400 fewer than in October-December and 81,600 fewer than in the same period a year earlier.

The green opposition LMP said about the KSH figures that the government “covers up” a part of the unemployed by bureaucratically reducing their number. LMP co-leader Bernadett Szél said in a statement that the government fails to ensure assistance to people unable to work for health reasons.

“Full employment for the government does not mean providing jobs with a decent salary to as many people as possible; (prime minister) Viktor Orbán is happy if employment figures are up due to a large number of low earners and unemployment is down because people unable to work are left by the side of the road,” Szél insisted.

Source: MTI