Unemployment level not to change dramatically in near future - Shuvalov
MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Russia's unemployment level will not show dramatic growth in the short term, and will not exceed 6.5% in Russia's problematic sectors, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said.
"Our unemployment level is currently 5.4%, and we do not expect it to grow dramatically, even where there are already problems. Our colleagues say that in metallurgy, for example, we will not see more than 6%-6.5% anytime soon," he said in an interview with the magazine The New Times.
He said that while the government gave companies a signal not to fire people during the 2008-2009 crisis, now the government "will not take this route."
In particular, 200 billion rubles are set aside in the budget for a discharged workers program. "We have set aside money in the state budget, and are ready to start a program with Russian regions and large employers to retrain people who need to be removed from these companies and to give them the opportunity to possibly start their own business by issuing grants or giving them the opportunity to relocate for a job in another location," Shuvalov said.
