Unemployment in Varna drops by 6.6 per cent in Q1 of 2010
Unemployment in Bulgaria's seaside capital of Varna fell by 6.6 per cent, or 10 400 people, at the end of March 2010, compared to figures from December 2009. The total workforce in Varna at the end of March stood at 146 155 people, the National Statistics Institute said in a report, cited by Dnevnik daily.The average wage in Varna for the first quarter of 2010 is said to be 600 leva, the report said.Structurally, 22.7 per cent of the workforce in Varna is employed in car dealerships or car maintenance or 33 173 people in total. Manufacturing accounted for 13.9 per cent, or 20 385, while construction stood at nine per cent, 13 102. The transportation and logistic industry sectors employed 8.4 per cent, or 12 300, while seven per cent - 11 228 - worked in education.Towards the beginning of spring, the tourist sector in Varna employed 6.7 per cent, or 9748 people, although that number is likely to increase as the summer approaches and the season enters full swing.The economic segments that suffered the harshest decline on an annual basis were reported to be construction, with 6460 people being made redundant from construction, or a 33 per cent decline. The manufacturing sector also declined by 19.8 per cent, transport by 15.8 per cent and car retail by 11.2 per cent.The average wage, at 592 leva, is 27 leva lower than the average for the country, according to the report, which means the city ranks fourth in the country. The highest was in Sofia, at 819 leva, followed by Vratsa, 691 leva, and Stara Zagora, 648 leva.The highest wages in Varna were reported to be in the sectors of finance and insurance, 1132 leva (1302 leva average for the country), followed by manufacturing and energy 1093 leva (1327 leva average), mining 800 leva (987 leva average), health care 737 leva ((672 leva average) and education at 700 leva (647 leva average for Bulgaria).