Unemployment inches up, but still low

By a Staff Reporter

UNEMPLOYMENT rose slightly in April, but Cyprus continues to have the best rate among acceding countries and the third best overall among the 25 EU member-states, according to Eurostat.

The unemployment rate in Cyprus in April reached 4.3 per cent compared to 4.2 per cent in March, while the average rate in the EU was 8.1 per cent for both months.

The rate of unemployment among men reached 3.2 per cent in April, compared to 3.1 per cent in March.

It was higher among women with 5.7 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent the previous month.

The average unemployment rate among men in EU member-states is 7.3 per cent and nine per cent for women, remaining at the same levels for the past two months.

At the same time the average unemployment rate in acceding countries stood at 14.7 per cent.

Poland has the highest unemployment of the 10 acceding countries with 20.2 per cent, followed by Slovakia at 16.9 per cent.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.