Spain: Unemployment Highest Since 1996

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Spain
Spain

Unemployment in Spain hit 4.33 million people by the end of March, which represent the highest rate of unemployment in the country since 1996, data released by the Spanish Ministry of labor said on Monday.

According to a statement by the ministry, March witnessed the loss of 34 thousand jobs, representing an increase of 0.8 percent compared to February which registered the loss of 62.8 thousand jobs.

The unemployment rate has seen a remarkable rise in the services sector, which has witnessed the loss of about 15 thousand jobs in March, followed by agriculture sector that registered a loss about 7.5 thousand jobs, then by industry and construction sectors.

For her part, the state secretary for Labour Affairs Mary Luz Rodriguez said in a press statement that those numbers are “very negative and worrying”.

However, she added that unemployment rate in March this year is much lower than the registered in March 2009 which recorded the loss of 123 thousand jobs.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said earlier that the reduction of the high unemployment rate in the country is a top priority, adding that Spain would not regain economic vitality unless succeed first in restoring levels of unemployment rates before 2007. 2010, which registered a 4.2 million unemployed people, is the fourth consecutive year of rising rate of unemployment due to financial crisis.

KUNA

KUNA is the Kuwait News Agency

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