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Official statisticians report unemployment rate of 0.6 percent as of end of March

Belarus' unemployment rate was 0.6 percent of the economically active population as of the end of March 2013, reported the National Statistical Committee (Belstat).

As many as 4,539,800 people were employed in the national economy in the first quarter of 2013, one percent less than the first three months the previous year, Belstat said.

As many as 25,300 unemployed people were on the register as of late March, 3.3 percent less than a month earlier and 18.3 percent less than a year earlier.

According to Belstat, employers other than small private companies hired 175,100 people, including 10,200 people for newly created jobs, in the first quarter of 2013.

As many as 183,900 employees were dismissed during the period. Of the total number, 7.1 percent were fired for absenteeism or other breaches of the employer's regulations and one percent lost their jobs because of staff reduction or the liquidation of the organization. //BelaPAN