The number of unemployed persons having applied to the Department of Labor and Employment within the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of South Ossetia for the second quarter of 2010 reached 2,077 people, reported the Head of the Department Nonna Mkrtchyan.
According to her, unemployment has affected nearly all sectors of society.
"People with both higher and secondary education come to find a job. There are still less job vacancies than the unemployed registered. According to the report as of 15 September 2010, our registry contained data on 2,077 people, and there 526 job vacancies. These proportions do not cover the needs of all", said Mkrtchyan.
This mismatch in the existing demand and job offers in the labor market has a negative impact on the process of developing a national labor market and reduces the dynamics of employment among the population.
"Along with the rise in unemployment, there are permanently unoccupied job vacancies and unprestigious jobs. Our Department is in contact with all governmental agencies and construction companies. It should be noted that a large percentage of unemployed people prefer to work on construction sites, as the salary there is attractive," said Mkrtchyan.
The main goal of the Department is employment and the payout of unemployment allowances. The latter is still unsettled.
"The unemployment allowance payout is still a problem. This issue was repeatedly raised with the government and has been discussed with the decision-makers. We calculated the required monthly amount required to repay, and the budget in recent years could not cover these payouts. But it is expected that the budget for 2011 will include allowances for the unemployed," she said.
Mkrtchyan added that the minimum unemployment allowance was set by the Government equal to the minimum salary, which amounts 998 rubles.
The Head of the Department has identified several factors that influence the increase of unemployment in the Republic.
"The main factors of high unemployment in recent years are the influx of refugees and displaced persons, the reduced social services, low profitability of many productions and farms. Another reason is in an excess in specialists, graduates of South Ossetian State University. The employment of citizens aged 14-18 years is another acute problem," said Mkrtchyan.
She stressed that due to absence of funding, the Department for Employment could not conduct a series of public events: the organization of paid public works, psychosocial support, re-orientation training for unemployed citizens, job fairs, etc.
At this stage, the Department for Employment has vacancies of IT specialists, computer and mathematics teachers, choreographers, cooks, primary school teachers needed in rural districts of the Republic. The Department for Employment assists the registered unemployed with finding a job as much as possible.
