Popović: Government measures are not producing results, a dramatic increase in unemployment threatens

The measures of the Government of Montenegro are not producing results, and Montenegro is threatened by a dramatic increase in unemployment, according to the Vice President of Democratic Montenegro, Zdenka Popović.

"Coronavirus revealed and completely sickened the untruths and made-up statistics of the Government of Montenegro about the percentage of unemployed in our country. Namely, the director of the Directorate for the State Budget said that in the past fifteen days, about 3.000 citizens applied to the records of the Employment Service. This data goes in support of our previously stated claims that the real unemployment in our country is much higher than the cosmetic data indicate. It is also completely clear that the socio-economic measures of the Government of Montenegro are not producing any results. There is a justified danger that there will be a dramatic increase of unemployment if essential measures are not adopted to help the economy," says Popović.

It is also important, she adds, to note that the data on the number of unemployed "was unrealistic even before the start of the pandemic".

"When we take into account the unconstitutional deletion of persons from the labor bureau, and the deletion of university students who are undergoing professional training, it is clear that the percentage presented to the public is additionally increased. In addition, citizens are deleted from the Institute even if they do not regularly report to it every three months , and the data show that a large number of people from rural areas are practically unable to fulfill this obligation every three months. Also, those who refuse the offered seasonal job on the coast are deleted from the Institute, regardless of the fact that they are people with higher and higher professional qualifications preparations, as well as those who are on three-month trainings organized by the Institute. In that figure, we can freely include our young people who have found employment far from their homes and families, or those who work on ships for half a year in order to survive because the only thing I can get from Montenegro is a seasonal job, if that works for them," said Popović.

She estimates that Montenegro will face a drastic economic decline.

"When compiling statistics for the Government to brag about, a citizen who worked one day a year for a daily wage is counted as employed, and seasonal workers are also counted as employed. It follows that the DPS authorities are constantly spreading falsehoods about the alleged accelerated development and reduction in the number of unemployed, while the real situation is much different, especially in these crisis periods. The country, due to untimely, selective and populist economic measures implemented by the Government and the Party's coordinating body headed by a potato planting specialist, will face a drastic decline in the economy that will result by the rapid increase in the number of unemployed. Unfortunately, due to the incomplete, insufficient and ineffective measures of the Government, all citizens of Montenegro will feel the consequences," concludes the vice-president of the Democrats.