Russian unemployment on the rise
Over the last month, the number of unemployed increased with almost half a million, Russian Deputy Minister of Healthcare and Social Development Maksim Topilin says. More than two million Russians are now officially without a job.
In addition comes the unofficial unemployment, which amounts to about seven million, newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta reports. The increase in unemployment is far higher than anticipated by federal authorities. The ministry now expects employment to reach 2,8 million people by the end of the year, up from 1,6 million in previous estimates. In addition, almost a million people have been sent on “forced vecation” by their employers. The government now steps up support to the unemployed. 34 billion RUB have been granted the employment authorities and regional anti-crisis programmes on the handling of unemployment have been elaborated and adopted in 44 regions. Among the regions with insufficient employment programmes is Murmansk Oblast, Deputy Minister Topilin says.
