Bulgaria’s unemployment rate was 8.0% in the second quarter of 2016, dropping by 1.9 percentage points compared to the same period of last year, according to fresh statistical data released on Monday.

There were 1.43 million economically inactive persons aged 15 - 64, accounting for 30.6% of the population in that age group in the second quarter of 2016, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said in a quarterly survey of Bulgarian labour force.  

The number of discouraged persons within the group of economically inactive persons aged 15 - 64 decreased by 6,800, reaching 158,900.

The employment rate for people aged 15 - 64 was 63.7%, up by 1.3 percentage points compared with the second quarter of 2015.

There were 3.03 million employed persons aged 15 years and over during the second quarter of 2016, of whom 1.60 million men and 1.43 million women.

Employed persons were 49.5% of the total population aged 15 years and over in the second quarter, an increase of 0.8 percentage points year-on-year, the NSI said.

In the second quarter of 2016, 63.2% of all employed individuals worked in the services sector,29.5% in industry and 7.4% in agriculture.

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