Devastating Data: As Many as 1.7 Million Able-Bodied Croats Do Not Want to Work

The Labour Force Survey published today by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, for the fourth quarter of last year, shows that as many as 347,000 people are actually unemployed in Croatia, which is significantly higher than the number registered with the Croatian Employment Service, reports the Patria news agency.

A comparison of unemployment data obtained from the Survey with data from the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) and other statistical monitoring based on administrative sources shows that in the fourth quarter of 2014, the unemployment rate according to administrative records was higher (19.1%) than the survey unemployment rate (18.3%), states the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 

In that period, the average number of unemployed according to the Survey was 35,000 higher than the data from the Croatian Employment Service, indicating a decrease in the number of unemployed persons registering with the HZZ.

Since the surveyed individuals stated whether they were registered with the employment service, a comparison of the data shows that, out of a total of 347,000 unemployed according to the Survey, 292,000 or 84.1% were registered with the employment service.

The remaining 15.9% of the survey-unemployed were not interested in registering with the employment service. At the same time, out of a total of 312 registered with the Croatian Employment Service, 20,000 or 6.3% do not meet international unemployment criteria, states the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Data from the CBS show that in the fourth quarter of 2014, there were 3.6 million able-bodied individuals, of whom 1.56 million were employed, while 347,000 declared themselves unemployed. The inactive, which includes those who are not looking for a job, cannot accept one, or for some other reason do not want to work, numbered 1.7 million, writes Index.