Unemployment Increased in Georgia

PM Nika Gilauri stated that during 2011 unemployment decreased and it is now 15.5%. The government explains that it is due to economic success in the country. However some independent analysts challenged this position and suggest that in reality unemployment has increased since 2003. Official statistics indicate that the number of unemployed from 2003-2011 has been increasing. According to statistics in 2003 the number of unemployed was 12%, in 2010 -16.3%. The number of employed people is permanently decreasing however. People are mostly self-employed. A self employed person, according to international standards, is considered to be employed. An unemployed is a person above 15 years of age who has not worked for the last 7 days.