Over 90,000 seeking job in Armenia

Arsen Ambartsumyan, Minister of Labour and Social Matters of Armenia, has reported to the session of the National Assembly that according to the Ministry, by the end of January, because of the global economic crisis, about 3500 person lost their jobs in the country. According to the latest update, the army of job-hunters makes 90,500, fixing the country's unemployment level at 6.4 percent.

Under the pressure of the financial crisis, in the end of last year, a large number of jobs were cut, in particular, by the metallurgy enterprises of the Lori and Syunik Districts.

Prime Minister of Armenia has stated while characterizing the social and economic situation: "2009 is our heaviest year, since, on the one hand, the global crisis makes quality changes and creates most serious problems in taxation sphere, and on the other hand, in the environment now in place it's very difficult to make reforms and solve social problems."

Sona Arutyunyan, head of the Agency for State Employment Service at the Ministry of Labour and Social Matters of Armenia, told journalists that, according to the forecast of her Agency, some 500-1000 workers may lose their jobs in February-March.