Bulgaria`s unemployment rate eased to 16.83 percent of the workforce at end-July from 17.11 percent at end-June due to a rise in job offers in the summer, the National Labour Exchange reported. `Unemployment stood at 16.83 percent at end-July, down 0.27 percent from the previous month,` was said. Slightly fall in unemployment was due to higher seasonal employment in tourism, construction and agriculture, sources added. Official unemployment has been 17 to 18 percent so far this year but trade unions and independent analysts put average unemployment at around 25 percent.