Henadz Fedynich: Real Unemployment Remains Several Times Higher Than Official

Hidden unemployment beats all records in Belarus.

Unemployment in Belarus is not less than 7-8% of the economically active population, although the official statistics claims it being 1,5% of all unemployed.

The amount of dismissed workers in measured in the thousands. Only 1,3% of their total number were laid off, all the rest were dismissed after expiration of their labor contracts.

These figures are shown in the statement of the Council of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.

- Official statistics does not take into account the so-called hidden unemployment, it seems like it does not exist, according to the official information. However, it really makes not a small percentage. It makes the figures distorted.

In addition, there are some people who do not work, are not registered at the employment office, and this organization officially counts the unemployed. There are quite many of those who are not registered at the employment office, but they are not considered unemployed. Here are the two basic criteria which form the official and unofficial statistics on unemployment,” - leader of the Belarusian Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry Workers Henadz Fiadynich has said in an interview to Radio Racyja.

- Will unemployment grow any more the next year?

- Of course, because look what is happening at the Belarusian enterprises on an example of MAZ. Although jobs are basically saved, there is no realization of the production. What would they do with the workers then? Certainly, there will be a laid-off. The situation is like that at many other enterprises. The state is not prepared for such a crisis; they thought that all the time they will survive on the Russian oil. But, as life has shown, free cheese only exists in a mousetrap. So, it is time to pay for this life-for-free now, and the ordinary people suffer first.