414,418 UNEMPLOYED IN CROATIA IN FEBRUARY

ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - According to the Croatian Employment Bureau (HZZ), the number of unemployed persons in Croatia in February amounted to 414,418, which is 3,303 persons more than in January, HZZ head Sanja Crnkovic Pozaic said in a statement. The main reason for that is 3,596 newly registered war veterans who had to register with the Employment Bureau by February 8 in order to exercise their right to compensation, Pozaic told a news conference. Another reason for the increase of the unemployment rate is the fact that employers still wait for the implementation of government programmes for stimulating employment, which started on March 1. The unemployment rate increased in all qualification groups, and the majority of unemployed are between 20 and 29 years of age. A total of 23,511 unemployed persons registered at the Employment Bureau in February. Of this number, 5,384 persons are job hunting for the first time, while 18,127 have been employed in the past. In the same period, 10,836 persons registered at the Employment Bureau found jobs, which is 3.2 percent more than in February 2001 and 6.1 percent more than in January this year. (hina) it sb