Unemployment is a structural problem

 

Statement by Stavros Evagorou, Deputy Parliamentary Spokesman of AKEL

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 4th December 2014, Nicosia

 

The figures released yesterday by “Eurostat” on unemployment in Cyprus are extremely worrying. According to the official figures announced by the Statistical Office, the number of the registered unemployed increased from 46,474 to 47,252 people.

However, taking into account the estimates of “Eurostat” itself there are another 20,000 non-registered long-term unemployed at the District Labour Offices who have given up looking for work.

The fact that so many of our compatriots are long-term unemployed, especially in the construction sector, makes the problem of unemployment structural. At the same time it also represents the most tragic aspect of our country’s economic crisis.

As AKEL, we consider that the alleviation of the problem of unemployment demands the abandonment of the government’s austerity policy and the promotion of policies for development and growth, aiming at the creation of new jobs.

The Government must finally reflect on the examples of the other European countries of the South where the dogmatic adherence to the policies imposed by the Memoranda have resulted in recession, unemployment, poverty and misery.