Romania Might Not See Fall In Unemployment Rate Due To Intl Fin Crisis – PM

“It is possible that unemployment might not decrease, but next year’s rate depends on another indicator which is hard to assess. The Forecast Commission cannot make this sort of evaluation for the number of Romanians who might return home from the severely affected countries such as Spain," Tariceanu told a press conference.

He said the unemployment insurance budget needs to ensure revenues needed to pay unemployment aid.

The 2009 state budget draft the Government approved last week sees the country’s unemployment rate at 3.9%, from 4% this year.

The number of jobless people estimated for this year is 355,000.

Romania already shows signs of economic difficulty, as 4,000 people in the industry sector have already been laid off Transylvania, while companies, such as carmaker Dacia, have lowered production targets, Tariceanu said.

The Employment Agency in Cluj county, northwestern Romania, announced at the end of October that the local unemployment rate might double by the end of the year due to the impact of the international economic crisis on several companies.