Georgian government optimistic at combating unemployment

Unemployment is a serious problem for the Georgian government. The number of employed people decreased from 1,789,000 in 2004 to and 1,656,000, while corresponding figures for unemployment increased from 258 000 up to 336 000. Georgia’s president Saakashvili admitted sometime ago that Georgia’s unemployment levels are still too high and even in Tbilisi every third person is unemployed.

The Georgian government however plans to combat unemployment through increasing economic growth which in turn depends on incoming foreign investment.

Another consideration is that most self employed people hardly employed at all, they are the rural population and simply own the land. Out of 1.6 million so called employed people only 36% are in paid work.