Minister of Employment & Social Security Andreas Moushiouttas yesterday released the latest figures on unemployment for the first five months of the current year. Unemployment levels have dropped to 3,1% that is 9.658 persons compared with 3,8% the same period in 2000. The Minister stated that it is the government’s aim to reduce the figure even more for 2001.

From the total of registered unemployed persons, 50% are women, with the number of social-insurance paying foreign workers having reached 24.000.

Mr. Moushiouttas stated that the reasons which have led to the slight drop in unemployment include the positive course of the Cyprus economy and especially in the construction, manufacturing, services and agricultural sectors.